A Midsummer Nightmare
by Riisha
Summary: YAOI Omi has a book report to finish, but he's starting to realize that he and his teammates are slightly living its story. Little does he know how true this will be...
1. The Roles We Play

First of, the title has _nothing _to do with the time of the year. You'll just understand what it means as you read through. Second, yaoi pairings alert, and I won't bother saying what they are. Once again, you'll realize why. 

You'll be shocked at what I have to say here. This fic was inspired, surprisingly, by an episode of Mickey Mouse Works on the Disney Channel. They played out one of my favorite stories. It reminded me of some fic foolishness my friends and I did once, and suddenly, this popped out of nowhere. 

I was originally gonna make it one of those fics where you stick the characters into the story and make them say the lines and do the actions, but I realized that a) there are many of those types of fics; b) I didn't have enough characters to stick into all the roles; which goes in hand with c) even if I did have enough characters, I wouldn't know _how_ to stick them in whichever; and d) I think this came out better anyway.

So, here it begins. Weiss is not mine. I love Omi with all my everything. But the characters and story are _not_ mine. Though, I do want to go to Japan and stalk Koyasu Takehito and demand him to free me of my obsession. He's a genius. A pure genius. I should shut up now and go on to the story.

**A Midsummer Nightmare**

_By Riisha_

_Chapter 1 – The Roles We Play_

"I saw him first."

"And you socked him the day after."

"You still remember that?? He attacked me the night before. What was I supposed to do?!"

"Definitely not sock him."

"Well what did you do??"

"I brought him up to my room after YOU fought with him."

"But that was …"

"Oh … And did I mention that _I_ gave him his nickname?"

Hidaka Ken opened his mouth to retort. Then closed it, bewildered and angry.

Kudou Yohji only grinned. "I've won this round, Hidaka."

"You wish, Kudou!!"

Tsukiyono Omi sighed and put down his book, "Yohji-kun! Ken-kun! I'm trying to read! I have this book report I need to turn in in a couple of weeks!"

Yohji wrinkled his nose at Omi, "Fine." And he walked away, "It was getting dull around here anyway. And soccer boy is getting on my nerves again."

Ken glared at him, "_I'm_ getting on _your_ nerves?"

Omi groaned, slumping back against the sofa chair. They were both getting on _his _nerves. More and more so every single day …

It had been like this everyday since then, that fateful day, when the two men realized that they had affection for the same person. Since then, they had declared war on each other, pushing the other down, beating at each other, each trying to come up victorious. 

And yet, neither has actually been able to make a solid move on their 'target'.

Not that Omi was surprised. He was sure that even Yohji himself was having a hard trying to figure out how to come on to Fujimiya Aya. 

Recently, however, the two have gotten closer to actually trying to flirt with their red-haired teammate. Unfortunately, each attempt was always somehow thwarted by the other.

Truly war …

Omi sighed. It was ridiculous. They were arguing over Aya. _Aya_! The ice prince himself, who probably didn't even give a damn about them. On the surface at least. Well, at least they all _hoped_ it was only on the surface.

Ironic really. The situation was all too familiar to him. It wasn't exact. But it was familiar. Two men fighting over the same woman… Or man… Or person… Or … whatever…

Omi picked up the book he was reading, the same one he needed to do a report on. 

_A Midsummer Night's Dream_, by William Shakespeare. 

He fingered the cover delicately, and opened the book to the first page. All the characters were listed there. His eyes zeroed in on two consecutive names.

_Lysander – In love with Hermia; Rival to Demetrius_

_Demetrius – In love with Hermia; Rival to Lysander_

Yohji and Ken fit Lysander and Demetrius perfectly, Hermia obviously being Aya in their case. Well, not very obviously, because in the story, Hermia was, in truth, in love with Lysander. 

He checked his list to make sure.

_Hermia – Daughter to Egeus; In love with Lysander_

Yep … There it was. Hermia was in love with Lysander, who was supposed to Yohji. But in real life, Aya seemed to not have interest in any of his two 'suitors'.

"Hey, Omi. What is that anyway?"

"Nothing, Ken-kun. It's a Shakespeare book."

Ken wrinkled his nose. "Dunno how you have the patience for those stories, Omi." 

"You should try reading it anyway. It's actually very interesting … You see it's about …"

He was interrupted by a sudden yell. Ken's eyes had narrowed, "Excuse me, Omi. Yohji's somehow managed to get close to Aya again."

Omi groaned, which only made Ken chuckle. "I know you're fed up with it, Omi. But if I let Yohji get even a centimeter closer to Aya, I'd be losing!" He ruffled Omi's hair playfully, "Wish me luck!"

Omi managed a small smile, "Ganbatte, Ken-kun."

He returned to his book, sighing again as Ken ran off, hoping to foil Yohji's attempts at flirting with Aya. Omi still thought it was silly but he watched anyway.

Aya was repotting some flowers when Yohji sauntered up to him. Aya looked up with a raised eyebrow and a scowl. Yohji grinned, confidently and opened his mouth to speak.

"Heads up!" Ken suddenly came through, sliding across the floor. With the expert ability of a true soccer player, his foot came into contact with Yohji's shin.

As Yohji yelled in profanities, he turned toward Ken. As he did so, he bumped his elbow into Aya just as he was carrying the newly repotted plant.

[crasshhh!!]

Omi cringed in the slight distance as the pot fell, spreading mud and clay onto the floor. The flower, it was a beautiful one that had only recently blossomed, was now lying limply on top of it.

Ken grinned in satisfaction and Yohji gaped in horror.

Aya stared blankly at the floor for a while, until he suddenly turned around and folded his arms, glaring at both of the men.

Ken's grin faded and Yohji shut his mouth.

"I'm not cleaning that up." Aya stated bluntly, eying them both.

Omi actually chuckled as he turned back to his book.

He had been able to read a few more pages when he heard the cry.

"Omi!" 

Omi looked up to see Ken return, a triumphant grin on his face. He supposed that even though Ken had been ordered to clean, he didn't let it ruin his victory. He smiled for the older boy, "Success?"

The question was answered as Yohji came stomping in after him. "YOU! You ruined the perfect come on! You're a damned prick, did you know that??"

Ken only scoffed, "All is fair in love and war."

"Agghhh!" Yohji cried, finally giving up and grabbing his coat. "I'm going for a drive. You'd better not be here when I get back, Hidaka, or else you'll have an early death."

"Whatever you say, Kudou …"

As Yohji left, Ken muttered a good evening to Omi and went up the stairs. Omi watched Ken leave, sad with his thoughts: memories of what had happened over the past few weeks.

It had been a month since Ken suddenly came into the living room. Yohji and Omi were the only occupants, but Ken had probably meant it to be like that. 

With a blush and a shy grin, Ken confessed that he had been harboring affection for their fourth teammate and that he wanted their support. 

He received two reactions.

Yohji was enraged. In fact, he had almost stomped over and strangled Ken. Who knew that their resident playboy was harboring the exact same feelings? Feelings for another _man_. 

Yes, it was at that moment when the feud began.

And Omi?

Omi was stunned. For a full five minutes, Omi had just sat there, staring at Ken with his mouth hanging open. 

When Ken finally noticed, he had laughed, the blush still on his cheeks. He had stepped in front of Omi, and closed his jaw. He then reached up, removed Omi's cap, and ruffled the boy's hair. He then started some long explanation about it being okay for men to be liking other men.

When Omi finally came to again, he had interrupted Ken, mumbled something about homework, and rushed upstairs, leaving both of his companions confused.

Neither Ken nor Yohji had realized that Omi had run to his room to cry.

He had gotten over it since then. Or at least he had thought so. 

Omi gasped, as he realized in embarrassment that a small dot of wetness had suddenly appeared on the book. He quickly tried to wipe it away, but it had already seeped in, proof of feelings he had not yet forgotten.

Omi gave up, moving his hand to his face to wipe his eyes instead. It was futile. 

In the middle of their battle, Ken and Yohji had suddenly asked Omi to choose a side. He had told them that he wanted to remain neutral, knowing that if he took one side, he would anger the other.

Secretly he _had_ chosen a side. He never said it aloud, but he wanted Yohji to win.

It wasn't that Omi hated Ken. It wasn't that he didn't want Ken to win, and therefore be happy. Far from it in fact, for Omi himself also had a role in this messed up fairy tale.

Yes, they did each have a role. Aya was Hermia; Yohji was Lysander; Ken was Demetrius …

And himself?

He ran his finger down the list until he stopped on the name he was looking for.

_Helena – In love with Demetrius_

-----*-----

TBC

Shakespeare belongs to himself. I don't know why I'd want to claim him anyway. And his story and his characters are his. I already said it here … I don't have to say it anymore for the rest of the story ..

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	2. The Flight

Oh my god … I'll be honest … I never expected so many reviews right away!! Well, for me they're a lot, because I don't normally get this many.

Graah … I will never be good at writing Yohji and Aya's personalities … *glomps Shiiru-sama* Glad that you're around to help me then!!

_Chapter 2 – The Flight_

Aya wasn't stupid.

He knew that those two idiots were trying to make a pass at him every chance they got. It wasn't as if he wouldn't notice. They were totally obvious. Ken more than Yohji of course, since the older probably had more experience, making it seem more natural.

And furthermore, it wasn't as if he was deaf. Even if he was a slight distance away, he could still hear them arguing. Arguing about _him_. 

Well duh, he knew about them.

What he _also _noticed was that Ken's affection for him was affecting Omi. He thought at first that Omi was uncomfortable with one of his friends being gay. But it was countered by the fact that the boy wasn't uncomfortable about Yohji. He then thought that it may have been because their two younger teammates were closer to each other than to the others.

It took him a while to realize the truth.

Omi didn't just see Ken as a teammate, a friend, or even a brother.

Omi was _in love _with Ken.

Yes, Omi would probably deny it if any of them asked, but Aya could see the looks of jealousy that Omi gave Ken when the latter was with Aya, and the looks of resignation and acceptance as Ken spoke to Omi, Aya sure the topic being himself.

Aya almost felt sorry for Omi. But he decided that he wasn't going to interfere. Things would just have to play out. They had a funny way of doing that sometimes.

Besides… Interfering wasn't Aya's style in the first place.

And he had enough to worry about with the two idiots coming on to him.

"Hey, Aya."

Speaking of the devils …

Aya looked up, groaning when he saw that it was Yohji. 

Yohji frowned a little, but quickly replaced the frown with a playful grin. "You know … There's nothing gong on around here anyway, and I'm sure Ken 'n Omi can take care of the place by themselves …"

Aya just raised an eyebrow, wondering where the older man was heading.

"Maybe we can go out for a drive. Probably catch some dinner."

_A date …_ Aya raised his eyebrow. Or something that Yohji probably thought was a date.

Aya knew that he should just ignore Yohji. Either that or turn him down completely. But something nagged at him in the very, very back of his brain. Particularly one that kept saying that if he didn't accept now, Yohji would be persistent and keep asking anyway.

Then, he thought of leaving Ken and Omi by themselves. Perhaps … If they were alone they could talk things out. He just told himself he wouldn't interfere, but maybe Omi needed a little help anyway.

Finally, he sighed.

"Fine."

Yohji lit up, though he did his best to not show his enthusiasm.

"Great! I'll grab our coats and leave a note for Omi."

"Whatever."

Aya watched Yohji leave, a sudden sense of foreboding overcoming him.

_What the hell … _

_Great job, Ran. Now the baka is gonna have a better opportunity. _

-----*-----

"Omi?"

Omi looked up as Ken popped his head into his room. "Hai, Ken-kun?" Omi acknowledged him and turned back to his book, the same one as yesterday. He chuckled a bit as he read some nonsense about making a fairy queen fall in love with a donkey-headed man.

Ken frowned, thinking at first that Omi was ignoring him. "Hey, Omi? Have you seen Aya?"

Omi stiffened a little, then relaxed. "No. I haven't seen him. Isn't he downstairs?"

"Nope. And Yohji's missing too."

The younger boy put down his book with a sudden realization. He climbed off his bed and met Ken at the door. "Well, if Aya-kun left, he would have left a note right?"

"I suppose so …" Ken seemed uncertain.

Omi walked past Ken and down the stairs, wondering where their two teammates could be. "Checked the kitchen?"

"Twice. Same with the den."

"How about their bedrooms?"

"Nothing. Not a clue."

"Downstairs?"

Ken looked at Omi as if he hadn't thought of that. Omi chuckled and said, "I'll do it. You come down if you still haven't found anything."

"All right Omi. Call up if you _do_." 

He nodded, opening the door to the basement and heading down into their mission headquarters. He looked around, thinking that there was nothing suspicious when something caught his eye. 

He blinked in confusion, realizing that there was a piece of paper taped to the computer monitor. He took the note, and began to read.

_Omittchi,_

_        I'm a bit fed up with Ken always intruding on me 'n Aya. Decided to go off with him alone to eat dinner. Don't worry. We'll try to come back later. Or maybe we'll come back tomorrow. I'm sure that you'll know what happened then. Heh … Well, if you're worried anyway, I put directions on the back of this paper, so you know where to find us. See ya, Omittchi! _

Yotan 

_P.S. DON'T tell Ken about where we're going._

Omi stared at the piece of paper, going over it again to make sure he had read right. He turned the paper around and saw a sketchy map. It took a bit of deciphering and he finally realized that Yohji had taken Aya away … _far_ away …

He frowned at first until he heard Ken call upstairs, "How are you doing down there??"

Omi jerked, suddenly grasping his situation.

"I'm … alone with Ken-kun …" he whispered. "_Alone_ … No Aya-kun or Yohji-kun to distract him or interfere …"

It was his chance. He could tell Ken how he felt. He could make him see the truth. 

"Omi? Found anything?"

Omi jerked, quickly folding the paper and hiding it before turning, "Er… No Ken-kun… I haven't found anything."

"Ah DAMN!" Ken swore.

Omi hesitated. He wondered if this was the right time. But he'd probably never have an opportunity like this again. Besides, if Yohji succeeds and he and Aya hook up, Ken would need someone to fall back to, right? Who would be more perfect than himself?

Right?

He finally mustered up his courage to speak, "Ken-kun?"

Ken looked up, "Yeah, Omi?"

"Ken-kun, I …" he suddenly stopped.

Omi stared at Ken for a while, at the worried look on his face, the frustration and anger in his eyes for having been beaten out, and a sort of desperation for any clue to Aya's whereabouts.

He faltered.

_No … No, no, no, no NOOO!! Stop it! This is your opportunity! You can have Ken-kun to yourself!_

The look didn't leave Ken's face even as he turned to look at Omi. He folded his arms, trying to force himself to grin. Not very well succeeding.

"Omi?" Ken asked. "You -… what?"

It was official. Ken had somehow managed to make Omi's heart win over his head.

 "I …" 

_I care too much to see you sad if Yohji-kun gets to Aya-kun first…_

Omi's fingers fluttered back to the note on the table. He finally responded, "I … I wish I could help you find them." He suddenly looked down, pretending to have just found the piece of paper. "Eh? What's this?"

He made a show of picking it up and reading it. He looked up meaningfully, "Ken-kun? I think you should see this …"

Ken blinked, absentmindedly as he took the piece of paper from his teammate and read through it. His eyes instantly flashed with anger, "Why that no good, two-faced … asshole!!"

He turned back to Omi, "I'm going after them. NO way I'm letting Yohji be alone with Aya."

Omi looked concerned, "B-but, it's clear across the city!"

"Yohji probably planned that, probably thinking it'd stop me from interfering. Fat chance," he scoffed. He suddenly spoke to Omi again, "Are you sure you're fine with telling me about this? I mean … Maybe Yohji has something in store for you for telling on him."

Omi forced a smile. "Of course I'm fine with it …" 

_I'll take anything for you, Ken-kun … Just to never see you frown … Just to make you smile again …_

And quite out of the blue, Ken reached over and hugged Omi tightly. The abruptness of the embrace surprised him as Ken buried his face into Omi's shoulder.  

"Omi … I just … I want to thank you for everything."

"K-Ken-kun?"

"Well … You've been so understanding about me and liking Aya … I wanted you to know that it means a lot to me that you've accepted it."

Omi only blinked, staring to feel tears in his eyes. He was suddenly glad that Ken couldn't see his face at that moment.

"Omi …" Ken sighed. "You're… practically my best friend in the world now. If there's anyone backing me up in this, I'm glad it's you …"

"U-Um … I …" Omi leaned his head against Ken's neck, wiping away those tears so that Ken wouldn't see. He whispered truthfully, "Of course, Ken-kun. You know I'll be with you all the way…"

Ken tightened his hold a little before letting go. "Thanks, Omi." He ruffled the boy's hair before turning, "I'm gonna grab our coats. You _are _coming with me, right?"

"Y-yeah. Of course."

"Come up when you're ready to leave. That okay with you?" After he received a nod, Ken smiled. "Thanks again Omi. I can't say enough. This means a lot to me."

Omi could only nod again, biting his lip so hard it almost drew blood.

Ken turned around and left, climbing back up into the rest of the Koneko. 

As soon as he was gone, Omi realized he couldn't hold it in anymore. 

He dropped to the floor and cried his hardest in years. 

_If only you knew … Ken … If only you knew …_

-----*-----

TBC … Wait a minute … This is supposed to be a humor fic!! O.o Oh well … Maybe I should remove the humor classification for now …

_Replies to reviews:_

**Shaynie: ***Riisha laughs her head off * Well, I'll be honest. That was the original plan. My friend and I were enjoying ourselves thinking of Nagi as Puck, Schu as Titania, Crawford as Oberon and Farfie as Bottom ^^ But I don't think I'd be capable of writing it. So I decided to just use the four lovers part of the story. 

**Ayako:** Yup! Dedicated to my adorable Omi clones … Omi(WK), Shuichi(Grav) and Hisoka(YNM) XD I know you know all three … As for Aya-kun … We shall seeeeeeeee ….

**Aphrael: **Eekkk!! You again!!! XD XD XD Lemme just say I'm honored you like my fics, when I love some of yours as well 

**Everyone else:** Yes, poor Omi … ;_; I don't know why I always torture my Omi-kun. Maybe I'm just sadistic. Thank you SO much for the nice comments. Hope this gets more interesting as it goes on ^.~ 

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	3. Chances Thwarted

_Chapter 3 – Chances Thwarted_

Omi couldn't help himself. He leaned his head against Ken's back and tightened his hold around Ken's waist. He sighed happily.

Ken looked back at him, mistaking the sigh for that of concern, "Don't worry, Omi! We'll find them."

Omi had to be honest. He didn't care if they found the other two or not. 

He was riding on the back of Ken's motorcycle, since they decided that Aya wouldn't like it if they 'borrowed' his Porsche, and that it would be weird to bring both their bikes. Ken was driving, and Omi was seated behind him, his arms around Ken's waist so that he wouldn't fall off.

It was almost perfect. Omi knew that he would probably never get this close to Ken again, so he wanted to enjoy it as long as it lasted.

Unfortunately, good things come to an end. Omi jerked out of his daze when Ken announced that they had arrived.

Ken removed his helmet, glaring at the familiar Super Sevens parked outside the restaurant. Omi nodded, smiling weakly, "At least Yohji-kun didn't lie about the location."

"Like he'd lie to you," Ken said with a grin.

Omi's smile became a little more sincere. As he removed his own helmet, he looked up at the name of the restaurant.

_The Imperial Garden._

He blinked. Even though it was a Chinese/Japanese restaurant, he couldn't help thinking of ancient civilizations when he saw the name. Suddenly the situation was all too familiar again.

Lysander escaped with Hermia from Athens and Demetrius, with plans of eloping. Yohji brought Aya with him to get away from Ken, probably planning a date, and _other_ activities.

Helena and Demetrius followed the couple into the Athenian wood since Demetrius planned to stop their elopement. Right now, Omi and Ken had just gone after their two teammates, and Ken was hell-bent on ruining Yohji's schemes.

Helena was with Demetrius trying to prevent him from doing so … No that wasn't right …

_Well … That's where this is different,_ Omi thought bitterly. _I'm _letting_ Ken stop them._

Ken practically barged into the restaurant, which to Omi's relief, was near empty.

They spotted Yohji and Aya in one corner and Ken spent no delay as he stomped over to them. Omi yelped, trying to hide his face as the waiters stopped to stare at him.

_I don't know him … _he hoped the waiters would hear his thoughts as he followed. _Really! I don't know him._

It appeared that Yohji and Aya had just ordered when Ken finally reached their table.

Yohji looked up, an absolute look of loathing and disbelief on his face when he saw who was intruding on his 'special night' with Aya.

"Err … Ken!" he tried to smile. "How'd you find us?"

Ken slammed both his hands on the table, making everyone around them jump. "Cut the crap, Kudou. I know your schemes and I know you brought Aya away so that you could get yourself laid and I wouldn't be there to stop you!"

All three of his companions were shocked, especially since he had just revealed the information of their loves for Aya to Aya himself. Not that he already knew.

Yohji stared with his jaw dropped. He composed himself and stood, dropping his façade. "Heh … So what, Hidaka? Pissed that you didn't think of it yourself?"

"Hah! I couldn't even _imagine_ myself doing something as low as this!"

"Oh?" Yohji sneered. "Then, how'd you realize that we were here?"

Ken only grinned. "You made a mistake to tell Omi. If it wasn't for him finding your note, I might not have made it."

Yohji blinked, "Omi?" He looked behind Ken and his eyes narrowed when he saw Omi a slight distance away. Omi gulped. He shrank back, feeling as if Yohji's eyes were boring right through him.

"I'll deal with _you_ later …" Yohji said, sinisterly.

Ken held out his arms as if protecting Omi from Yohji's presence. "Heyyy … Leave him out of this. This is between you and me, Kudou."

Aya was just watching calmly throughout the ado, though when he heard that Omi was the one who had brought Ken here, he was genuinely shocked. Did Omi really love Ken that much, to let him go?

He looked at Omi, and sure enough, the boy's eyes were filled with hurt, but at the same time, a sort of satisfaction as he watched Ken and Yohji argue. In fact, he lit up every time Ken succeeded in his defense.

_Shit… Ken, you imbecile. He's right there… Do you have _any_ idea how much this boy is giving up for you?_

But Ken was still facing Yohji, causing Aya to glare at him more. Aya groaned. He wondered why he cared so much. Maybe he did hold some sort of affinity for his teammates.

Omi finally spoke up, his voice a little squeak. "U-um … Since we're all here, maybe we should just … _all_ have dinner? We do have to get back to the Koneko…"

"Fat chance," Yohji grumbled. 

"What?"

Ken sighed. "We're too far out. By the time we get back, it'll be really late. Our best bet is to find a crash for the night and wake up early tomorrow."

Omi's face fell.

Yohji sat back down, "Looks like we're _all _sticking around." He shook a finger at them, "But I'm not paying for _all_ your food, you hear?!" 

Ken and Omi nodded, and both took seats at the booth.

-----*-----

"How much for four rooms?" Yohji asked.

"I'm sorry, sir," said the male receptionist. "But we only have two rooms left available. They're adjacent if that helps."

Yohji sighed, returning to his companions.

"Well?" Omi questioned.

"Only two rooms left, next to each other. We've got to double up."

"Double up?" Ken asked. "Who's staying with who then?"

Yohji responded almost instantly, "I'm staying with Aya …" 

"Whatttt??" Ken cried. "No way!! _I'm _staying with Aya!!"

Aya only put his hand to his forehead, wondering why the hell they were arguing right in front of him where he could see and hear.

Omi spoke up, "Why don't _I_ stay with Aya-kun, and you two stay together?"

_No. They'll kill each other. _Aya shot Omi a wary glance. He didn't need to.

Ken had yelled first, "WHAAAAATT!! NO! I'm _not_ staying with HIM!!" He pointed an angry, accusing finger at Yohji.

"Hey …" Yohji narrowed his eyes. "I'm not too hot on the idea either."

Omi finally sighed, "Fine! We'll draw lots!!"

He took a piece of paper from the counter, ripping it into four strips. Then he ripped off the ends of two so that they would be shorter.  He put all of them in his hand, making sure they all looked the same length. He then held them out for his teammates. "The ones who get the same length paper sleep together."

Everyone stared blankly at him. He stared back, "What?" He blushed when he quickly realized what he said, "I didn't mean it _that_ way!!!!" He muttered, "Hentai-tachi …" 

He looked up, "So?" he held out his hand. "Aren't you going to take one?"

Ken moved closer first, then took a piece. Yohji followed and Aya was last. 

Omi opened his hand. "I got short."

"Long," Yohji said.

"Short …" was Ken.

They all turned to their last teammate, who just held up his piece. It was long. Yohji grinned.

Ken, of course, protested, "Whaaa!! NO WAY!! It was fixed! It HAD to be!!" 

Omi sighed, "Ken-kun … Why would _I_ fix it?"

At that Ken closed his mouth. He only sent an angry glare at Yohji.

Yohji rolled his eyes, "Ken … I know what you're thinking, and I would love to prove you right. But there's no way I'm going to do something like that when our Omittchi is staying in the room next to us, right where the little bishounen is gonna hear us."

Aya growled. Once again, they were speaking as if he wasn't there.

Omi knew how he felt, wrinkling his nose, "Yoojiii-kuuuunnn ……" 

He didn't say aloud that he was thankful that Yohji was thinking for him. He doubted he'd be able to sleep right if there were noises like _that_ coming from the next room. Not to mention if there _were_ going to be such noises, Omi would also have to deal with Ken bitching about it. 

Omi blinked at himself for even thinking such a word. 

He shrugged it off and told everyone, "It's settled then. Ken-kun and I will take one room. And Yohji-kun and Aya-kun will take the other." He gave Yohji a wary glance just in case. "Nothing funny, Yohji-kun!"

Yohji rolled his eyes. "Fine. Come on, Aya."

Aya made no move to leave at first, until he finally decided that there would be no harm in going. Ken was still shuddering with anger, perhaps also jealousy, as the two left. 

Omi smiled sadly for Ken. "Ah well! At least you were able to stop him, right?"

Ken snorted.

He tried again, "Really, Ken-kun! I don't think he'll try anything when I'm in the next room, right?"

Ken flinched, then finally smiled. "Yeah, he'd better not, _especially_ when you're there. Or I'll break off that huge head of his and use it for soccer practice …" He grinned, cracking his knuckles. "And if he even _tries_ to hurt you or something like that tomorrow … I'll do worse than that."

Omi rolled his eyes, but he was smiling anyway. "Come on. Let's go to sleep." He blushed when he remembered he was sharing a room with Ken … _Ken_!! And it was the truth! He didn't fix it!

Ken cocked his head to his side a little, "Omi? Something wrong?"

"N-no!" Omi tried to widen his smile. "Come on! Let's go up…"

He followed Ken up the stairs, hoping to find Yohji with their key. His thought was simply that everything would be all right again in the morning.

Little did he know how wrong he would be.

-----*-----

_R2R: _

**Shaynie: **Hmm … A slight mix of both? Well, I'm not gonna go into fantasy world… Gah! Hard to explain … You'll see next chapter …

**Kasra: **Wh-wha?? Th-this is so sudden!! *blush* LOL …

**Ayako:** Actually, I almost made a fic where the three exchanged places, Hisoka in WK, Shu in Yami, and Omi in Grav. Never did, though. Aya-kun in love with his sweater? *_* Nope… Don't think I can write that XD

**a spell: **Oh right! It WAS House of Mouse … The one where Scrooge bought the club!! Wait a minute … This _is _unrelated … @.@

**lulu: **You … are a very good guesser … XD****

Again thanks soo much for the reviews! As for the classification, I don't know if it's appropriate to stick it back into humor yet … But I reassure you … Next chapter would make it official. ^.~

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	4. The Tables Have Turned

I apologize for I may disappoint. I might have put up some expectations when I mentioned that Aya and Yohji were sharing a room, as well as Ken and Omi. Nothing's gonna happen. At least not between them … ^^;; However … As for the possible chaos… That's why Schu-Schu's around … XD

Hmm … he just MAY be out of character here … I dunno. I've never had to write him exclusively before, so I don't know how his mind works exactly. *shrug* Oh well …

Oh … And let me warn you … Yohji and Ken … are about to go completely OOC … *giggles deviously* Well, not completely … But you judge …

_Chapter 4 – The Tables have Turned_

Schuldich was bored …

He was also quite ticked …

Schwarz was NOT meant to be a group of errand runners, so why the hell were they supposed to be like such now?

But still, here he was, wandering in some cheap, obscure hotel, looking for possible victims. Crawford had told him that this particular place would be the perfect place. The man didn't tell him _why_.

He had been assigned to test some weird concoction. Well, actually, _they_… him and the rest of his team. Unfortunately, the stick up Crawford's ass was quite hammered in, and he refused to do such a trivial matter. Farfarello wouldn't be a good choice, considering his slightly psychotic state. And Nagi … Nagi … Damnit! He even forgot what Nagi's reason was!

So despite all his protests, Schu was instantly elected for the job. He didn't even know _why_ they didn't just turn the job down completely.

He yawned again, scanning the rooms with his mind and zeroed in on a couple that seemed to be participating in nightly activities. _Hmm …_ He began to consider sticking around.

But no. Work should come first. He laughed bitterly at himself for thinking such a thing, but he expected Crawford would be at his throat otherwise.

He continued walking down the hall, passing by another room and scanning it.

He stopped, abruptly, turning back. He was suddenly filled with shock and mild curiosity. 

_Well, well, well … What do we have here … Weiss kitties? Two … Then where are the other …_ He scanned the next room and sure enough, found the minds of their other two teammates.

_Hmmm … _He grinned, wickedly. _Maybe this will be fun after all …_

He pulled out the master key (he had been able to 'convince' the man downstairs to give it to him). He unlocked the door and stepped inside. He found Balinese and Abyssinian.

The wicked grin never left his face as he snuck up on them, taking the small container out of his pocket. Now, wouldn't it be absolutely hilarious to have Balinese …

He opened the container and leaned over the playboy to drop some of the liquid over his eyes, careful not to touch him. He didn't want to accidentally read his thoughts, and god forbid what kind of nasty thoughts he might be having. Not that Schuldich wouldn't mind seeing them, but alas … Duty calls.

 After putting a drop each into the man's eyes, he straightened and left. After he was sure he had relocked the door, he headed into the next room.

Just as he expected, the ones he found there were Siberian and Bombay. He thought over the matter, wondering whether which would be more amusing. His eyes wandered to the younger, more innocent Bombay. It quickly made up his mind. 

He leaned over Siberian and did the same as he did with Balinese.

He exited the room gleefully, deciding to check on them in a few days. 

Oh this was going to be _so _much fun …

-----*-----

There was loud pounding at the door. Yohji groaned. His eyes felt sticky and it was too damned early for him to get up.

"Yohji-kuunn!! Aya-kuunn!!" Omi's voice called out from the door. "Get up! We have to get back to the shop!"

_The shop? _It took a while for Yohji to remember. _Oh yeah, the damned shop. _Ken … the prick … interrupted him and Aya while they were having some quality time out. And even though he and Aya had been able to share a room that night, he had been forced to promise he wouldn't try anything, since Ken had brought Omi with him. 

Well then … he'll show that asshole.

"YOHJI-KUN!! AYA-KUN!!" the pounding became louder. It was a miracle that no one else had gotten out of their rooms to throw the boy out.__

Yohji groaned again, finally getting out of the bed. His eyes were still closed, and he struggled to get them unstuck. He rubbed his eyes a bit as he walked to the door. He opened the door, ready to growl at Omi for interrupting his sleep. 

Omi stood there, looking as if he was about to start pounding again, when he looked up directly into Yohji's face. "Yohji-kun! It's about time!"

Yohji's eyes finally worked and he rubbed them more to get his vision to clear. "Omi … What the …" He trailed off when he saw the boy completely.

His brain suddenly fizzled. 

_Wait a sec … what was I thinking again? I was mad at him for … something … but wait! That doesn't sound right. Why should I be mad at _Omi_?_

He scanned Omi from head to toe, taking in the image. Omi was still wearing the same shorts and t-shirt from yesterday. Yohji scanned his beautiful hair, the near-perfect face, the deliciously slender body… don't get him _started_ on those hips and that waist, not to mention those incredible legs.

_What the hell? Why'd I never notice this before?_

Omi wrinkled his nose and Yohji's immediate thought was that he shouldn't ruin his beautiful face like that. "Yohji-kun! In case you don't remember, we have to get back or else we'll open late."

Yohji had no idea what came over him, but he leaned against the doorframe, running a hand through his hair. "Hey there, Omittchi …" he smiled. "Aren't you just the perfect little ray of sunshine this morning?"

Omi stuck out his tongue. "Well, you don't look too good yourself!"

"I meant it as a compliment."

Omi quickly understood. "Yohji-kun …" He said in an exasperated voice, but he was grinning. "Save it for Aya-kun …"

"Aya?" Yohji blinked, confused. _Aya … That sounded a little right … But somehow it also sounded completely _wrong._ Why was Omi mentioning Aya? _

He quickly grinned again, "Now why would I save it for _Aya_ when there's this beautiful vision at my door right now?"

Omi rolled his eyes. "I'm serious, Yohji-kun! Don't practice your moves on _me_!" 

"Practicing?" Yohji blinked once more. "Who said I was practicing?"

Omi appeared to not hear, already turning away. "I've got to get back. I still have to wake up Ken-kun. You wake up Aya-kun and get ready. We're leaving."

_Ken …_ Yohji's eyes narrowed as Omi left. Why did Omi care to wake Ken up anyway? Ken liked Aya, right? Well then, they'll finally come to an agreement.

Ken can have Aya for all that he cared. 

Omi belonged to _Yohji_…

-----*-----

"Ken-kun!!" 

Someone was shaking him. Ken growled and turned over, lying on his back. He didn't want to get up just yet. Besides... His eyes felt sticky. And who the hell was in his room at this unholy hour?

"Ken-kun!!" the voice persisted. "We can't open the shop late!! And I still have to get to school!!"

Ken stretched his arms, yawning, then he brought his hand to his eyes, rubbing. _Damnit … What's wrong with them! I feel like they're filled with some gunk!_

More shaking, "Aha! Just a little more!!" There was even something that sounded like a giggle, "Come on!! We've still got a long way to go!!"

_Long way to go … Oh yeah … Right …_ Yohji, the bastard, had decided to bring Aya out the previous night, trying to get away and probably seduce the redhead. Lucky Omi was there to tell him. Ken didn't know what he'd do without the little guy. He was _really_ glad that Omi was fine with him liking Aya.

"Mooouuu!! Ken-kun!!!"

Ken blinked, finally opening his eyes.

For a full minute, he stopped thinking.

When his brain started up again, he was confused. _Aya? Wait … I _was_ thinking about Aya right? Why again? I think I was thinking I liked him but… What is this vision in front of me now?_

He finally murmured, "I must have died and gone to heaven … There's an angel smiling down at me."

"Ken-kun?" 

There was a confused tone to the familiar voice. Ken's vision cleared and he realized he was looking into the face of his best friend.

"E-eh? Omi?" _Wait … Did I just think of Omi as an angel? This wasn't right… Or was it?_

Ken took the next few minutes to just stare at him. The sun was just coming up, shining through the windows onto Omi. There was this… _way _the sun lit up his face in all the right places. Cerulean eyes glowed and lovely blondish locks adorned the tanned skin on an almost perfect face. No, it _was_ perfect.

"Oh my god…" Ken whispered. "You're gorgeous…"

The little angel's eyes widened, and he stepped back, "Wh-wha??" 

Ken sat up. His brain was still fuzzy, but all his coherent thoughts were concentrating on one thing: this vision of beauty, standing before him. God, what was he _thinking_ when he thought that he liked _Aya_?!

Omi was still gaping at him, looking a little worried.

Ken smiled, embarrassed, "U-uh .. D-did I say that out loud?"

"I … I think so …"

"S-sorry!" He tried to laugh, scratching his head. "Umm … Well …"

Omi shook his head as if he was trying to get his thoughts back in order. "You should get changed, Ken-kun. We're leaving soon. I'll wait downstairs for everyone." He smiled.

Ken's breath caught in his throat. That _smile _was one of the most incredible things he had ever seen! It took him a while before he could speak, "O-okay, Omi!"

Omi nodded in acknowledgment before exiting the room.

"Omi…" Ken whispered his name again. "My Omi… _Mine_…"

It sounded so _perfect_!

The first thing he was gonna do that morning was tell Yohji that Aya was all his. 

Ken was going to get Omi, no matter what…

-----*-----

Omi … was confused. 

He knew that Yohji was probably just playing trick on him. Or maybe he was practicing his moves for Aya. Yohji always did something like that. It was normal.

But it was _not_ normal for Ken to just outright say that he was… _gorgeous??_ Not only that, did he hear Ken call him an _angel_?? Omi blushed at the memory. 

_Maybe he wasn't thinking straight. _

_Maybe he was still dreaming and thought that he was seeing Aya-kun. _

A little voice at the back of his head said teasingly, _Maybe he actually _meant_ it …_

Omi shook his head. "No!! He likes _Aya-kun_!! As much as I'd want him to, there's no way that he's gonna fall for _me_ overnight!!"

"Talking to yourself, Omittchi?"

Omi looked up to see Yohji already waiting for him by the main entrance. Yohji grinned, "Don't you think you're too young to be venturing into insanity?"

Omi answered truthfully, "Maybe, maybe not, Yohji-kun."

"Heh …" Yohji straightened and walked closer. "This … is for you …"

Aya had just exited the building as well, his eyebrow raising as he stared at the scene before him. Yohji was with Omi, and it seemed that the older man had just … given him something?

The younger bishounen blinked, his jaw dropping, as he accepted the small white flower. His mouth moved to speak, but no sound came out. All he could do was gape at the delicate petals, the pure white color, almost an image of innocence.

"When I saw it, I immediately thought of you," Yohji smiled and winked.

Aya blinked, _What the hell? _

"Th-th-th-th-thank you!" Omi sputtered. "I-I- … I guess …" 

Ken came out next, muttering an absentminded "Mornin" to Aya. Aya stared. He was usually more enthusiastic than that. 

As if that wasn't enough, Ken looked up, a sudden glare crossing his face as he saw Yohji and Omi. 

Omi moved away from Yohji to smile at him. "Ah! Ken-kun!"

Ken suddenly stopped in his tracks, looking as if he had stopped breathing. 

Omi blinked. Aya blinked. 

_What the …_

Their brown-haired teammate quickly shook his head and said, "Omi! Ohayou … Wasn't able to greet you properly up there!" He seemed to fidget a bit until he spoke again, "Um… Omi? I was thinking… Are you gonna be riding with me on my bike again?"

Omi was about to agree when he was interrupted. "Ah! No, Ken-ken …" Yohji sneered at him. "Omi's already riding with _me _in my car …"

Aya blinked yet again.

"But what about Aya?" Ken countered. "Isn't _he_ riding with you?"

"_He _can ride with you on your bike. _I'm _taking Omi."

"Are you _kidding_?? Aya and I can't both fit! That's why _I've _got to take Omi!!"

_Wait a minute … _ Aya thought. _Since when did these two idiots start arguing about _Omi_?_

Omi's mouth was just opening and closing. When his voice finally worked, it came out as a squeak. "U-um … Three people can stay in the car … Ken-kun can take the bike back, then Yohji-kun, Aya-kun and I can …"

"You know … He's _right_, Ken." Yohji's sneer was still on his face. "Why don't we do that?"

 "Whattt??!" Ken looked at him as if he said that they should all just jump off a bridge to their deaths. "No!! Come on, Omi! _I _want to take you! I took you last night!!"

Omi's voice stopped working again.

"I don't think so, Ken. He's riding with _me _and Aya. Or I'll be nice. _You _can ride with Aya."

"NO way!! Why don't you let Omi ride with me? Don't you want some alone time with Aya?"

"Me?? Why don't _you_ have alone time with Aya? Take all the alone time you need!!"

Omi's head was swirling. What was happening here?? Just a day ago… no… Just _last night_,Yohji and Ken were fighting over Aya, were beating each other down over Aya, were both totally at WAR over Aya.

And now they were fighting… over _him_?!

God, he needed to be alone to think. And so, the answer to their current dilemma finally came to him.

"Why don't _I_ take the bike?"

Ken and Yohji stopped arguing to stare at him.

"Y-you three can go back to the shop in the car. I'll take Ken-kun's bike. I still need to go to school, anyway, and if I still pass by the shop, I might end up being late."

Both Ken and Yohji started up again.

"But Omittchi!!"

"What about your bag?"

"What about a change of clothes?"

"Don't you think that…"

"It might not be…"

Omi stared. What? Now he had a couple of mother hens looking after him?!

Aya's patience finally ran out. He put two fingers in his mouth… and whistled.

Both men stopped speaking, wincing at the sudden shrill sound. Then all three stared at him. Aya looked at his fingers, wondering about what he had just done, himself. He shrugged and finally spoke. "Omi, go take Ken's bike and get to school." When Omi nodded, he turned to Ken and Yohji, "The three of us are heading back to the shop in Yohji's Super Sevens."

The reaction was instant.

"But, _Ayaaaaa_ …"

"Oh come _on_ now …"

Aya sent them a glare that made them both shut up immediately. At the sight, Omi thought that it was no wonder so many people mistook him as their leader.

"Now hurry up…" Aya growled. Yohji and Ken quickly obeyed.

As they went outside, Omi mounting Ken's bike and Aya getting into the passenger's seat by Yohji, Ken in the back, both Aya and Omi were thinking the same thing.

_What the hell is going on??_

-----*-----

**trinchardin: **Gomen …  I really _would_ have loved to do it. But I'm really not good at writing Schwarz. ;_; GOMEN …

My opinion on why nothing happened that night: Yohji DID promise, Aya was 'uninterested', Ken was gaga over Aya, and Omi wouldn't have to guts to try anything himself. But everything turned out fine, right? …… Yeah … sure … XD

And now you are all aware why it is so difficult to put what match-ups are in this fic! MWAHAHA!! *glomps Omi* I am so sorrrryyy Omi-kuuun!!! *enjoys herself anyway* Now I can put the humor classification back up!! *wicked grin*

*looks up* Wait a minute … A piece of the dialogue up there looks familiar .. @.@

Oh … And about that comment about Aya not being the leader? It's true … *holds up her friend's All That Weiss book* Check it out in there …

And one other thing… I'm also happy this is coming out fast, but I might start slowing down soon. I almost always eventually do… ;_; Gomeeeeeeeen…

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	5. Unreal

Sorry for the slight delay! Christmas and all… Very busy… ^^;; 

_Chapter 5 – Unreal_

Aya made a mistake going home with the two imbeciles. He almost envied Omi for not having been able to hear it.

On the whole trip home, the two never stopped bickering. Normally, Aya would have been able to handle that. He'd been forced to get used to it over the past few weeks. But now, something had been added in. Aya's confusion.

He watched Yohji saunter up to him, a familiar look on his face. _Ah … Here they come again… Wonder what he plans to do this time…_

But to his surprise, Yohji didn't do anything. Not to _him_ at least. Except ask…

"Hey, Aya. What do you suppose type of chocolates does Omi like?"

Aya stared blankly at him. _Chocolates?_

"No clue? Should have thought as much… See ya, Aya." With that Yohji walked away again, scratching his chin in deep thought.

Aya barely had time to wonder more about it when he saw Ken creep up to him next. _Ah… The other one. Surely, he's gonna try to come on to me and mess it up like he always does._

He was surprised again.

"U-um…" Ken laughed, a little embarrassed. "Umm … Aya? Just wondering… If Omi got flowers, what do you think he'd want to get?

Aya stared blankly again. _Flowers?_

"Ah wait! I have an idea now… Thanks anyway, Aya!" Ken ran off, looking through their shelves of flowers.

_What the hell? Chocolates and flowers both for Omi? _If he didn't know any better, he would've thought they were both… _courting_ Omi…

Suddenly, the more he thought about it, the more it seemed so.

Aya knew that he should be grateful that he was no longer the center of attention. It was so damned irritating that the two of them fawned over him. And he didn't have to deal with that anymore.

But it still troubled him that the two were suddenly after Omi, with no warning at all… There was something very wrong. Yohji and Ken changed their minds literally _overnight_. Aya at the very least knew that there was no way for them to transfer their infatuations so quickly. 

So what made them do it?

Something else nagged at the back of his mind, teasing him somewhat. He didn't know what it was saying… something about another reason that bothered him. 

He simply shook his head and got back to work.

-----*-----

Omi wasn't doing too well either.

When he arrived home from class, Ken had greeted him at the door. Omi had blushed when he did so, blushing even more when Ken shyly shoved a bouquet of flowers in his face.

"K-ken-kun?" he had stuttered. "Wh-what …"

"U-um… For you…" 

"F-for _me_?!" he squeaked.

Ken only nodded, his cheeks reddening a little. "I-I made the arrangement myself. I th-thought you'd like them…"

Omi's jaw had dropped when he noticed that Ken was … _also blushing_???

Omi needed to lie down. He was feeling faint. From both shock and delight. He quickly tried to snap out of the delight part. He was imagining things. Ken didn't _actually_ like him like that…

Did he?

Omi yelped when Yohji suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Hey, there, Omittchi…" Yohji smiled, suavely. "Enjoy your day at school?"

Omi noticed out of the corner of his eye that Ken was suddenly seething. He tried to ignore it as he turned to Yohji. "Um… It was fine."

Yohji just grinned again, handing Omi a box. Omi could only blink as he accepted it. "Y-Yohji-kun? Wh-what …"

Yohji's grin never left his face. "Open it."

He did. A gasp left his lips when he realized it was a box of chocolates. To the side, Ken stared blankly, then glanced at the flowers he still held in his hand. He turned back with anger and embarrassment.

Omi still stared at the chocolates.

"I didn't know what kind you liked, so I got them assorted. Hope that's fine."

"Y-Yohji-kun…" Omi's voice was very weak, and he didn't know how to use it. "I-I… I can't accept this…"

Yohji looked distressed, "Why not?"

"I-it must have cost…" Omi looked close to bursting into tears. "I-it must have been so expensive!"

He suddenly grinned again, "Omi… That's not even half of what _you're _worth…"

Omi's mouth opened and closed, and no sound was coming out. "B-but… I don't … I mean … You don't have to spend your money on _me_!"

Yohji frowned, "But I want to …" 

Omi finally decided it was futile to argue. "U-um… I… I have to go now, Yohji-kun. I-I… We still have work to do."

"No need," Ken suddenly spoke up. "I asked Aya if Yohji can take over your shift."

Yohji looked horrified, "Me??"

Ken smirked subtly, "Yes, you… I'm meeting with my kids today. Unless… you really _would_ want Omi to be working here, after being so _tired_ after school."

"Um.. Ken-kun? I'm fine- …" 

Omi wasn't given the chance to finish as Yohji shot Ken a glare and said, "Fine. I don't mind. I'll take his shift."

"Y-you don't have to…"

Yohji and Ken _both_ shot him a look. He just yelped and jumped back. "R-right! I-I'll just … do… homework I suppose…"

Ken raised his hand childishly, "I'll help!"

It was Yohji's turn to smirk, "I thought you were going to play soccer. If you aren't playing, then you might as well take Omi's shift, and I can spend some time with our Omi."

Ken shut his mouth, glaring at Yohji. He finally spoke again with an indignant tone, "I … I meant later. After I go."

Yohji rolled his eyes and smiled at Omi, "I hope you enjoy your chocolates, Omi…" 

As he left, Ken looked blankly at the chocolates Omi held, then at the bouquet of flowers in his hand again. He hid the flowers behind his back, ashamed. 

Omi noticed the look on his face, though he didn't understand it. "Ken-kun? Something wrong?"

Ken looked defeated as he peered at the red box. "He got you _chocolates_… CHOCOLATES…" 

"Then what?"

The brunette sighed, hiding his flowers even more. 

Omi smiled as he held out a hand to touch Ken's arm. When Ken started and looked up, he guided Ken's arm to the front again, taking the flowers. Omi looked up, the smile not leaving his face, "They're nice. I like them."

He brightened, "You do?"

Omi nodded in all honesty. 

Ken beamed, "I-I … I'm glad you do! I hoped you would!" He looked up at the clock, "I-I gotta go now, Omi… I've got to meet up with the kids. S-see you later?"

"Okay…"

Ken practically stumbled away, leaving Omi with his thoughts… and the flowers. Omi gently held one of the stems, bringing the flower to his face and sniffing at it. He smiled happily, watching Ken walk down the sidewalk.

Omi finally shook his head, knowing that he must have some kind of goofy expression on his face. 

He walked up the stairs, heading for his room. He still debated with himself whether he should eat the chocolates or not. He finally decided that Yohji might take offense if he didn't. Then he smiled again as he paused, bringing up Ken's little gift to him.

"Flowers…" he whispered to himself. "Ken-kun got me flowers… It may be our own flowers… but still…" Then he stopped himself, shaking his head to snap out of it. "No…" he told himself. "No, no, NO! He doesn't… He can't _possibly_…"

But he was holding the evidence in his hands. In one he still held Yohji's chocolates, and in the other, the flowers.

That was one thing more. It was _both_ Yohji and Ken. They were _both_ seemingly crazy about him, and they were _both_ practically ignoring Aya. It can't be real. It had to be something else. 

_And still… it looks like Ken-kun… likes me…But… is it really…?_

Omi decided as he sniffed his flowers again… 

It didn't really hurt to pretend for just a while… did it?

He started headed into his room. As he opened the door, he realized…

It just might… 

Though normally, Omi's room was pretty tidy, cleaner then his other teammates' except Aya, in their hurry to leave last night, he hadn't been able to fix up the mess he had created in making his book report. 

But now, Omi's mouth hung open as he saw that his room was _clean_. All the clutter was put away, his books were stacked, and his bed was made. Everything was arranged perfectly on his desk, and the papers were piled neatly on top of it.

He almost dared not to enter, finally taking a step in, and spotting a note on his desk. 

He picked it up and read it, instantly recognizing the handwriting as the same one as the note he had seen before.

_Omittchi…_

_Came in here and thought you'd like it if it was tidied up a bit… Know how you love it being spotless… So just decided to show you I cared…_

_-Yotan_

Below that was more, but in an illegible scrawl he recognized to be Ken's.

_Don't believe him Omi! He's lying!! **I** did the cleaning!! - Ken_

And further down… 

**_He's_**_ the liar! I spent the whole morning cleaning up!  - Yohji_

There was more, but Omi's head was already spinning again and he put the note down before he could finish it. 

Omi officially decided it was a good time to freak out. He jumped into his bed, buried his face in his pillow… and screamed.

-----*-----

**To all who asked: **Believe it or not… Yup… It's Omi-kun… I didn't believe myself, because it really doesn't show. But now that I know, I see it more and more that it's true.

**To all who asked again:** Hmm… Matches in the end. I don't want to spoil it… But if you know my other fics, you should probably figure it out by now. 

**megane-chan:** You freaked me out when I saw your name, because my friend uses this name too, and I was wondering what she was doing reading my fic when she's anti-yaoi. 

Belated Happy Birthday, Ken-kun! And Belated Merry Christmas to all! ^.^

Still have so many chapters later… Don't even know how long this'll be… hopefully not too long… Anyway… Jaa… til the next chap! ^.^

omiclones@hotmail.com  


	6. State of Mind

_Chapter 6 – State of Mind_

The shop was spotless.

Extra pots were put away on shelves, and the flowers were arranged to the side. There were no puddles, much less mud puddles, on the floor. Even the ribbons were neatly set aside.

Yohji smiled as he leaned on his mop, congratulating himself on such great work. 

He had woken up early that morning, just to get the shop cleaned. He knew that he'll just be thrilled when he finds it He could already see his eyes light up a little, though not saying much. His silence would be enough.

Yohji blinked to himself. Wait a minute? Silence? Omi wouldn't do that. Omi would probably jump up with joy, then grin up at Yohji, saying how much he liked it. His amethyst eyes would sparkle……

Amethyst?

Yohji shook his head. Blue! Omi had _blue _eyes! How could he be mistaken? Omi had such wonderful cerulean eyes. Eyes that he would let himself drown in… And while he would be drowning in those eyes, Omi would lean up, giving Yohji one of his precious, incredible smiles. Yohji would meet his lips, and run a hand through his beautiful red hair-……

Red?!

Yohji ran a hand through his own hair. There was something wrong with his brain. He finally decided to stop fantasizing Omi's reactions. 

He smirked to himself. He could already see the livid look on Ken's face at having been beaten out again. Just like at cleaning the room a couple of days back. He had to pick up all those papers on the floor, and check if they were valuable or worth throwing away. He couldn't understand how the clumsy soccer player would _dare_ to take credit for the hard work that Yohji did. A low person like him didn't deserve the likes of Aya…………

AYA??

Yohji put his hand to his forehead as he started back to his room. 

Damnit… 

Maybe he woke up too early, and not enough blood was going to his head. 

He needed to lie down.

Oh who was he kidding?! He'd been having this problem for a while now. He knew he head over heels had a thing for Omi. The first few days, he had tried several ways to win Omi over, Omi being the only thing on his mind. 

In fact, Omi was the only thing he could think about back then.

So why the hell was _Aya _sometimes coming into his head now?

……………… And why was that making him smile more than when he thought about Omi?

-----*-----

Ken gave the ball another hard kick. It bounced off the wall and returned a short distance away. He ran to catch up to it and kick again. 

Earlier he had decided that he needed some time to think, most particularly to decide how to win Omi over before Yohji did. 

He realized that he thought best on the field when he was alone with his soccer ball. He was apprehensive about leaving Omi with Yohji, but then Aya was there. Ken hoped that Aya wouldn't allow Yohji to do anything to Omi while he was gone.

Things have been hell the past three days. He and Yohji were at war again. It started when Ken cleared up Omi's room, only to discover that Yohji tried to tell Omi that HE did the hard work!

Okay… So when he was cleaning, he accidentally knocked over some of the papers and scattered them more. But he cleaned it up again! Maybe… He didn't remember.

Though what he _did _forget was to leave a note for Omi to tell him he did it. And when he had remembered and returned to the room, Yohji had already left a note of his own, claiming that HE had cleaned up. The NERVE of that jerk!! Ken's teeth clenched and his hands balled into fists.

_I'll show that Yohji!_ He thought angrily as he imagined the ball to be Yohji's head. He gave 'Yohji's head' a really hard kick. It flew through the air, rebounded against the wall and bounced back, straight for Ken.

Ken's eyes widened, "Ah shi- …"

[WHAM!]

The next thing Ken knew, he was on the grass, his head swirling. Tiny Omi angels floated about his head. He groaned. He looked up through somewhat blurred eyes. 

Then, he smiled. An image of Omi was smiling back down at him, leaning over him the same way he had been when Ken first realized he was …………

In love?

Ken immediately sat up. A mistake because he groaned again, clutching his still aching head. He felt over his eye and winced in pain. He struggled to think straight again.

Was that it? Was he in love with Omi?

He brought his knees to his chest, and hugged them. 

Omi… He can't possibly… be in love with Omi! 

Yes, it's true that Ken was previously infatuated with Aya. But… that was _Aya_! Aya was his teammate. Trying something with Aya couldn't ruin anything… Aya already didn't speak much to him. 

Okay… so it was bad thinking like that. Aya was sort of his friend too. But for some weird reason he didn't have the same apprehension with Aya. But Omi… 

Omi was his best friend… 

Omi was like… the younger brother he never had… 

He _liked_ what he had with Omi… Was he really willing to risk it? What if when he went to Omi, and he didn't feel the same way? It could ruin everything between them. They'd never be able to see each other the same way again.

Ken ran his hands through his hair, moaning to himself. He rocked himself back and forth as he thought. 

He can't do this to Omi. Never. Shit, what was wrong with him?! What was he thinking?! Well, that's exactly it! As usual, the incredible Hidaka Ken _wasn't _thinking. 

He might as well drop all sort of infatuation he had with Omi and return his attention to Aya. 

That would be what he'd do. It was the only thing he _could_ do. He never wanted to ruin his friendship with Omi, and Aya seemed to have already been fine with Ken running after him…

He'll go after Aya again. It shouldn't be hard. He liked Aya before he liked Omi, right?

……………… So why did it still feel so wrong?

-----*-----

"Aya-kun?"

Aya turned away from a novel to see Omi at his doorway. His first thought was that Omi had gone crazy too, and that now the boy was falling for Aya himself. It sure would match with the rest of the insanity that had been going on the past few days.

But he was wrong, for Omi looked up at him, "A-aya-kun… I've… got a bit of a problem…"

Aya raised an eyebrow. There was something wrong here. Omi would never go to him if he had a problem. Aya knew that Omi preferred to talk to Ken or Yohji, most particularly because the other two were better at handling his problems than Aya himself. The three were much closer to each other than to him. And for that reason, Omi always went to the other two. Recently, it was more to Ken for the same reasons only Aya knew.

Which brought him back to the original question in his mind. Why was Omi coming to him now? It was probably much easier for him to go to his other teammates. In fact, they'd probably throw themselves at him, begging to solve all his problems for him, considering their current infatuations with him…………

Oh… Right… So that's his problem… 

"K-ken-kun and Yohji-kun…" Omi confirmed. "Th-they're…" He looked around, as if to make sure no ears were listening before blurting out, "They're driving me crazy!!"

Aya paused to put down his book, not sure what to say at first. So instead, he just let Omi speak.

Omi's hands were clutching at his blondish hair, "I-I… I don't know what's gotten into them! Before they were driving me crazy because they were fighting over you…" he looked up to see Aya react. He didn't. He realized Aya must have already known. He continued, "N-now they're …"

Omi looked at Aya in desperation, "Aya-kun!! They just won't leave me alone!! I-I … I have homework!! And my duties to the shop! Even my responsibilities as part of this team!!

"They're doing everything for me!! I haven't had to lift a finger since we left that stupid hotel, inn, motel, _whatever_!! It's driving me insane!! My _room_ has been cleaned so many times in the past few days, I don't even _know_ where everything _is _anymore!!

"They're taking my jobs, my arrangements, Ken-kun even offered to do my _homework_ for me!! Can you _imagine_ Ken-kun doing my homework?!!"

The kid sure talked a lot when he wanted to.

 "And do you _know_ how many _gifts_ I've gotten?!!"

Aya didn't say anything, knowing that he would just answer his own question.

"My room is _filled_ with stuff now!!" He ticked off his fingers, "Animal plushies, character plushies, chocolates, candies, flowers, and god knows what else!!" He threw his arms in the air. "The only reason why I've been able to move around in there is because they always manage to put everything aside again!!

He shook his head. "Aya-kun! Most importantly… Well .. to me at least… my book report… It's due next week… And I haven't even been able to start it!! Aya-kun! It's fifty percent of my grade! And with Ken-kun and Yohji-kun always interrupting me, I'll _never_ be able to finish it in time! If I fail this subject, I-I could…"

Aya finally held up a hand, signaling enough. Omi quieted, obediently, his lip still quivering. Aya stared at him. The boy looked ready to burst into tears.

Aya stood up, walked calmly to the doorway, and tentatively put a hand on Omi's shoulder. Omi looked up, his eyes slightly watering, though Aya knew he was somehow trying to hold back the tears. He looked straight into the boy's eyes, slightly rubbing his shoulder.

"I'll see what I can do."

Omi brightened considerably. It even made Aya feel better. He calmly and gently pushed Omi out the door. Omi, intelligent as he was, immediately got the hint, and moved back, bowing a little in gratitude, "Arigatou, Aya-kun!"

With that, he started down the hallway back to his own room.

Aya shut the door and returned to his bed to think.

The promise he made wasn't just for Omi, but also for himself. The two idiots were also driving _him_ crazy, though in a different way. It still confused him, how the two suddenly decided to switch the target of their antics. You could say they weren't themselves and that they were under some sort of … enchantment or something…

Or in a very wrong frame of mind.

That's when it clicked.

They must be playing some kind of joke on Omi!

Aya unconsciously clenched his teeth. What did they think they were doing, the bastards?? He knew that the two of them often liked to tease Omi, to make fun, to play little jokes… But going _this_ far??

Not only that, Ken probably wasn't aware that Omi really _was_ in love with him. And if Omi eventually falls into their trap, and later finds out, his heart would probably break a lot more than it already has.

Aya still didn't know why he cared so much. Maybe it was just that Omi, despite how old he really was, even showing wisdom and maturity beyond his years, still was the baby of the group. He supposed that they all must have some sort of instinct to protect him. Which made him even angrier at what the other two were doing to him.

Aya stood.

Well then… Looks like he needed to have a talk with the two bastards.

-----*-----

It's funny… Ever since last chapter, I actually started using an expression that goes like this: "This is freaking me out. I think I should just go imitate Omi and run for a pillow now.." or something to that effect…… Sure, people don't get it, but I laugh my head off after I use it.

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	7. Confrontations? Or

_Chapter 7 – Confrontations? Or…_

[thud]

A short silence…

[thud]

And again…

[thud]

Aya blinked at the sound. He had eventually decided to wait a while longer before going out and giving Yohji and Ken a piece of his mind. 

[thud]

He was on the way down the stairs to the shop, where he knew Yohji was supposed to be holding a shift. 

[thud]

That was when the sound started. A sort of strange rhythmic thumping.

[thud]

His curiosity got the better of him… Especially when he realized that the sound was coming from Yohji's room.

[thud]

He turned around, heading back up the stairs to find the source of the strange thumping sound. He followed it back through the hallway and to Yohji's room.

[thud]

He slowly and stealthily opened the door and stepped inside. And discovered in bewilderment the cause of the sound.

[thud]

Yohji was banging his head against the wall.

[thud]

And again.

[thud]

And yet again.

[thud]

Aya stared in surprise and confusion. Then he realized that the rhythmic banging was done in synch with a strange mantra.

[thud]

"Omi… not Aya…"

[thud]

"Omi… not Aya…"

[thud]

"Omi… not Aya…"

[thud]

"Aya… not Omi…… Ah SHIT!"

[thud] [thud] [THUD]

Then there was silence.

Yohji pulled away from the wall, swaying a bit. "Fuck… shouldn't have done that…" He turned a little and grinned goofily as he discovered Aya at the door.

"Hey! Look, Aya!! STARS!!"

Aya stared at him, then slowly inched out of the room again. 

Somehow, he had the strangest feeling that it wasn't a very good idea to talk to Yohji right now.

-----*-----

Aya found Ken in the kitchen, rummaging through the refrigerator. He thought it strange that Ken should be looking for a snack at this time, but he shrugged it off and cleared his throat.

Ken looked up, sporting the _nastiest_ shiner Aya had ever seen.. 

Aya momentarily forgot what he was supposed to be asking. "What the HELL happened to YOU?"

Ken flinched, reaching up to touch the swollen flesh of the newly formed black eye. 

"U-um…" he laughed sheepishly. "I… got hit by Yohji's head."

_WHAT? _Aya stared again. Considering Yohji's current state, he supposed he shouldn't be surprised, but the reply still sent peculiar images to his mind.

Ken held up a hand, almost ashamed. "Ahehe… Um… Actually, I was kicking it around…"

_Kicking around Yohji's head? Is that why Yohji's gone mental?_

"Then… I kinda… got really mad…… kicked it really hard……" 

_Then Yohji turned around and headbutted your eye… and now he's headbutting all the walls too, thinking they're you?_

"… It kinda bounced back at me and hit me in the face…"

_Oh… So now Yohji's head separated from the rest of him? _That made Aya stare even more… _What the HELL is he talking about?! _Last time he checked, Yohji's head was still attached to his neck… Like he had said before, it was being bashed against a wall…

"Um… So anyway…" 

_There's more? Okay… You're officially _both_ mental…_

"I was looking for something in the fridge to put on it…"

_On Yohji's head? _Aya was tempted to ask, if it wasn't for Omi coming into the kitchen, "Hello, Aya-kun. I was just coming in to get some…"

At the sound of his voice, both Ken and Aya looked up. 

Omi's sentence trailed off as he gasped, "Ken-kun!! What happened to your eye?!!"

Ken instantly replied, "Yohji's head."

*blink, blink*

"Ken-kun…" Omi said slowly, "Are you trying to tell me that you got hit in the eye by Yohji-kun's head?"

That was when Ken _finally _corrected himself. "A-ah! I-I mean… My soccer ball… I got hit by my soccer ball… I was… umm… Kinda imagining it to be Yohji's head… So… I kinda… kicked it too hard… and it bounced back and… " he let the sentence trail off. 

All finally became clear. "Aa," was all Aya said, not knowing if he should be relieved. At least now he knew that Yohji banging his head against Ken's face didn't really happen. He started to head out, knowing Omi will be the mother, and would make everything all right.

Omi sighed, "Come on, Ken-kun. I think I've got something to help take care of that…" He stepped closer to take Ken's wrist.

Ken instantly flinched from Omi's touch, backing away, "NO!"

Aya paused at the doorway.

Omi stopped and stared.

"I-I mean…" Ken stammered. "U-um… I-I can take care of it! I was … just going to get a slab of meat or something… Y-you don't have to…"

"But, Ken-kun…"

"NO!" he insisted. "You know what? It's fine now. It doesn't even hurt!!"

"Ken-kun… That looks _far_ from fine to me…" Omi sighed, stepping closer.

Ken stepped backward, "I mean it, Omi! You really don't have to!"

"But I _want_ to, Ken-kun! I swear! I actually can't look at you right now without wincing!!" Omi was almost in front of Ken, and like he said, he was wincing.

That's when Ken suddenly shrieked, holding up his arms as if protecting himself, "AGH!! NO! Don't come any closer!!"

Aya was still staring from the doorway.

Omi stopped, eyes wide, "Ken-kun… What's wrong? It's just me…" He took another tentative step forward. 

As soon as he took it, Ken screamed again, "NO! I mean it!!" And with that, he bolted away, out of the kitchen. Of course, being Ken, he tripped halfway there, and after scrambling back to his feet, he pushed past Aya at the door.

Omi's mouth opened… and closed… opened again… and closed once more. 

There was a long silence. Aya's voice finally broke it, in a slight attempt to justify Ken's very peculiar behavior. "Maybe that soccer ball to the head was too much for him…" he said, nonchalantly.

Omi still looked a bit concerned, "I… suppose…"

With that, he returned his attention to the refrigerator and Aya left.

-----*-----

Aya sat back down on his bed, back where he began.

Somehow he was thinking that it wasn't a prank after all. Both of the idiots seemed to be too insane to even be able to think up a plan in the first place. Unless this added insanity was _part_ of the joke, but he doubted that either of the two were good enough actors to pull it off this far. And even if they were, he thought that they definitely wouldn't take it _this_ far. No joke was worth bashing your own head for…

So what _was_ happening around here?

After a while of mulling it over, he decided he really couldn't figure it out.

Maybe it was true after all…

Maybe the two idiots really _did_ have a change of heart…

Maybe they both really _were_ somehow becoming infatuated with Omi…

Hell, one or both could actually even be _falling_ for Omi… 

Of course, the most recent events didn't seem to add up to that, but everything before that seemed to support it. The incident at the hotel, the arguing with each other, the courting of Omi himself, all the gifts and favors and offers of help. Aya really didn't know what it was, but what he was certain of was that Omi was definitely the new center of attention.

There was once again that nagging feeling at the back of his head. The same feeling that always bothered him when he was thinking about this strange Omi craze the other two had. 

Something suddenly occurred to him.

What was wrong with him? What was bothering him so much about this whole thing? Yes, he was confused by everything, but something was telling him that there was more to it.

This was exasperating. It didn't bother him so much when Ken and Yohji were running after him. In fact, it didn't bother him at all! So why is it, now that they were both running after Omi, that he felt so apprehensive about everything? 

Maybe he really did sort of feel responsible or protective of the younger bishounen, like some weird paternal instinct, if there was such a thing. 

But still a tiny voice, buried in the very back of his head teased him, _that's not it and you know it!_

He blinked for a while. Where the hell did _that_ come from? He shook his head, but the voice had already planted ideas into his mind.

It made a little bit of sense. 

There _could_ be another reason why the entire situation made him so restless. 

Sure he didn't believe it. 

Hell, he didn't even _want_ to believe it… 

But still…

Could he actually be………

No… 

Definitely not…

Aya stood up, shaking his head more as he walked to retrieve his book. He needed to get his mind of off this madness. 

After all… There was absolutely no way he could actually be jealous…

-----*-----

*waves to Xin Yi for a while then turns to everyone else* I just might disappear again for a while… You see, I promised myself that I'd force out a chapter for one of my original stories… So I'll concentrate on that for a while then get back to this… Kay? 

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	8. Misconceptions and Realizations

wow… I'm drawing all sorts of fans with this one… (I mean match-up fans)… I've been having a couple of requests, but I'm warning everyone… As soon as I had made the fic, formulating it… heck… while I was watching said episode of House of Mouse, I already knew what was going to happen, who would end up with who, and all that jazz… 

This and the next chapter were originally supposed to just be one. But then I realized that that would have made it quite long. So I split it into two. Don't worry. I'll upload the next one in a couple of days.

Oh yeah.. And I lied… . I didn't get to write for my original… So after a week of block for it, I returned to this…

_Chapter 8 – Misconceptions and Realizations _

It was Sunday, the next day. The only day that Omi had off from school. Normally, he used the day to sleep in, or for opening the shop himself, which he liked to do since … well, he _had_ to admit. The others did their best working at the shop, but there were some things they just couldn't do very well. 

Yes, he would've liked to sleep in, or perhaps worry about store matters and the like. (1)

Though today… he had other things in mind… 

Omi was already waiting outside that room that morning. He grinned to himself as he heard the doorknob softly click. As soon as the door opened, he tackled the person behind it. 

"Wh-what the- OOF!!"

"Got you, Ken-kun!!"

"O-Omi?!!"

Normally, though a little far from scrawny, a relatively smaller boy like Omi might not have been able to tackle someone of Ken's size. But Ken had just woken up and was probably hungry, whereas Omi was already wide-awake and had already eaten.

Still, it took quite a long while, and Omi finally was able to wrestle Ken onto the bed, making the older boy sit across him. Ken had put up a huge fight, but he was finally sitting still, glaring angrily at the blonde. Omi only grinned, taking out his medic kit. 

"I told you, Ken-kun! I can't _stand_ looking at you!!"

Ken only glared at him even more. Omi chuckled. The sound of his soft laughter made Ken's glare fade away and he sighed in resignation. He finally submitted himself, figuring it couldn't hurt. Omi had treated his wounds before, some much worse than a black-eye. It was what friends did for each other, taking care of each other in that way.

Of course, recently, a certain complication had begun to surface.

Omi's fingers were adeptly feeling around his eye, finally pulling back to take something from his pack. Ken took the time to look up.

His breath caught in his throat. It was just then that he noticed how close Omi was to him.

Omi brought his hand back up, touching Ken's face. Ken immediately flinched from the touch.

The younger boy drew his hand back, "Did that hurt?"

Ken bit his lip and shook his head, "Nah…"

Omi nodded, returning his hand to the skin around Ken's eye. Ken's throat became even drier, feeling the light touch. And still, Omi's face was so close. He needed to be to be able to work the way he was doing now… And yet…

Ken's eyes wandered around the face before him. Omi was watching him with his expressive blue eyes. The type that you could practically drown in. In fact, it seemed that was what Ken felt like he was doing at that moment. And his skin… Many would have thought that Omi would be a pale boy, but Ken could see that they were mistaken. The sun had done wonders for his color.

His vision fell downward. Omi was biting his lip in slight concentration. Ken stared a long, _long_ while at his lips.

_Ah shit… _Ken instinctively shut his eyes. _If this keeps up, I wouldn't be able to control myself! If he doesn't stop I might do something I'll regret for the rest of my life!!_

"Ken-kun!" Omi's voice broke through his thoughts. "You'll have to relax your eyes… I can't work well enough with you keeping them tight like that!"

Ken opened his eyes again, his eyes immediately re-scanning the beautiful face before him. 

Omi rolled his eyes, sighing. Ken's first thought was that it was absolutely adorable. 

"Ken-kun… I _told_ you. You just have to _say_ if it hurts and I'll be gentler. Relax… I'm almost done."

Ken sighed with relief. Omi giggled a little, mistaking the sigh for relief that his eye would soon be left alone. The older boy didn't want to correct him. 

And still, Omi was moving slow, _too _slow for Ken's taste. He didn't know how much more he could take of this torture. The torture of Omi being right in front of him, close enough for Ken to just reach out and…

Omi's hand had paused on Ken's face, "K-ken…kun?" 

Ken didn't know how or when his hand went up to cup Omi's cheek. It didn't really matter. When he realized it was there, it felt so right. He savored the feel of Omi's skin, slowly stroking his face, bringing him closer.

Blue eyes widened. Pale lips parted in shock. Omi watched, frozen as Ken's face hovered closer. 

_Wh-wha?! W-what's he doing?! I-is he… is he going to kiss me?!_

He watched a little more and his heart suddenly beat faster as he realized it sure looked to be that way.

Omi then closed his eyes. Unconsciously, he leaned forward, closing the distance between them. Their breaths mingled together and their lips brushed. 

"K-ken……k…"

Ken's eyes suddenly snapped open. He grabbed Omi's shoulders and roughly pushed him away. Omi yelped, steadying himself before he could fall of the bed. He looked up at Ken, staring widely. 

"O-omi! G-gome… I-I …" Ken suddenly stood up. "I-I think I should be fine now! I'm sure you've done enough!"

Omi yelped again as Ken yanked him by the arms, roughly pulling him to his feet.

"A-ah! Ken-kun!! Itai!!"

"G-gomen!" Ken whirled around him, taking his shoulders. Firmly but gently, he started half-pushing, half-leading Omi out his room. "I'll be seeing you later, Omi!"

Omi temporarily forgot what had just happened. "Ken-kun! Wait! Your eye! I still need to……"

"Umm… I think you should get ready for school! Aren't you already late?"

"It's _Sunday_, Ken-kun!!"

"Ah! It is?! Um.. Ah… Open the shop then!"

"It's Aya-kun's turn today!"

Ken ignored him, gently shoving Omi out the door.

"A-ah!!" Omi yelped a third time, flailing his arms to keep his balance.

"Ja, Omi!" Ken called before closing the door. There was a soft click, signaling that the door had been locked.

-----*-----

Ken breathed in and out slowly. _…Baka… Ken no baka!! What were you thinking?!!_

_Oh… So we're back to this? Isn't it obvious? You _weren't _thinking… Like the last time… and the time before that.. and…_

Ken decided that his brain should keep quiet. But still, he couldn't believe what he had almost done!

"I almost kissed Omi…" he whispered to himself. 

And not just that, they actually touched lips! There was _no_ way even innocent Omi could mistake that gesture for something else!

_Oh gods…_ Ken slumped to the floor. _What have I done? He must really hate me right now… I wonder what he's thinking…_

-----*-----

Omi stared blankly at the locked door in front of him.

"……… Ken-kun…" Omi whispered to himself. His mind raced through what had just happened. What Ken had just tried to do.

"Ken-kun……… almost kissed me……"

_Why'd he try to kiss me?_

Maybe Ken found out that Omi liked him. The bishounen shook his head. That can't be! Ken wouldn't joke like that! They were friends! 

Maybe he was imagining Omi to be Aya again… But then, Ken hadn't even mentioned Aya for a week now! Omi was already beginning to think that Ken didn't like Aya anymore.

Then… there was the third reason. Maybe Ken liked him back…

It would explain the flowers, candies, and other presents he had received from Ken. And all the favors. And all the other small stupid things that he and Yohji had been doing for Omi. 

Omi shook his head. It was wishful thinking. And why did Ken pull away then? Ken was the one who backed off, who practically threw him out of the room! If Ken liked him back, would he have done that?

_Of course he would! You're talking about Hidaka Ken, the master dunce of love. He wouldn't know love if it ran him over!! He doesn't know you like him that way too, so he's scared of ruining your friendship! _

Omi blinked at the reasoning his mind was doing. It was clear, now. He realized that his back-voice was right. That's how Ken was. He was surprised he didn't see it sooner.

_He loves me… _

The thought put him on an all time high. It was almost euphoric. Suddenly he couldn't feel the ground anymore. His feet felt light and he was dizzy. He swayed a little, trying to regain his balance. 

Not that he cared much.

_Ken-kun loves me…_

"Omi?"

Omi blinked and looked to the side. Yohji had just come out of his room. 

"Omi!" Yohji smiled. The smile faded as he watched the other blonde. "Omi? What's wrong?"

Suddenly, Omi giggled. He practically skipped to Yohji's side, hugging his arm ecstatically. 

"Why, Yohji-kun!" he exclaimed. "What could _possibly_ be wrong?!"

Yohji looked genuinely surprised. Part of his brain was happy with the contact Omi had just made, but the other part was still confused.

Omi laughed, letting go of Yohji. "Isn't it such a lovely morning?!" He twirled around Yohji, throwing out his arms. "In fact… Isn't life just beautiful?!!" he sighed.

"Um.. Omittchi? Are you okay?"

The boy only laughed again. "Of course, Yohji-kun!! Everything's just perfect!!" He sighed again, happily. He began to skip back to his room.

"Omi!!" Yohji yelled with true concern. "You're telling me _now_ what's got you like this! If that Hidaka did anything mean to you, I'll wring his neck dry!!"

Omi laughed. He actually paused and laughed. He whirled around again, crossing his arms behind his back. "Yoooooji-kun… Ken-kun didn't do anything mean. He did something far from it in fact…"

Yohji's eyes widened. "And what was that?"

Omi shook his finger. "_That_ I'm not telling you! I'll see you later!!" And with that, he entered his room and closed the door.

Yohji watched, anxious. He heard another door open.

"I-is he gone?" It was Ken.

"You mean Omi?" Yohji asked. "What the hell did you do to him?!"

Ken flinched. "Oh gods! I knew it! He's mad at me, isn't he?! Damnit! I feel like such a _heel_!!"

Yohji was surprised. "What happened?"

"I-I… I was _trying _to tell him! My eye is _fine_!" Ken ignored Yohji's snort and continued. "But he _had_ to try to treat it! A-and h-he was in my room! And he was really close!! Gods, I can't believe I've never seen before how _beautiful_ he is!! A-and…"

"………and?"

Ken looked up at Yohji fearfully.

"I tried to kiss him."

Yohji almost fell over, "You _WHAT?!!_"

"A-and now… He must be _so_ mad!! He'll probably never speak to me again! Hell, he'll probably never want to _see _my _face _again!! What's wrong with me, Yohji?!!"

Yohji decided not to tell Ken that Omi was _not_ mad. Far from it in fact. Omi was dancing on cloud nine. 

Ken was still clutching his head as he returned to his room, leaving Yohji was his jumbled thoughts.

Ken had made a move. 

And he didn't just make _any_ move. He almost did a lip to lip with Omi.

And though Ken was so distraught and frantic, Omi was taking it _way _better than any of them expected. 

In other words, Ken may just have beaten him.

"K'so…" Yohji put a hand to his forehead. 

The race for Omi was over and he lost. Omi had chosen Ken. 

Yohji could almost feel the heartbreak. He was sad and disappointed. He was angry at Ken and even angrier at Omi. He was also angry at himself for not trying harder. 

……………

Somehow he had expected it to be a lot worse than this…

-----*-----

Ken was already gone when Omi went back downstairs for his shift; he had gone to meet his kids for soccer. Yohji apparently had to do something that involved drowning his sorrows in wine and women. Omi had rolled his eyes, though he wondered what could have upset Yohji.

Aya seemed to be upset as well, grumbling every now and then about 'that damned Yohji' who had begged for the shift exchange. Omi paid no attention, though; he was still floating around the shop. 

It was a relatively slow day. Soon, Omi had excused himself. He still needed to work on some of his homework, as well as the book report he had been ignoring. 

When Omi was in his room again, he plopped onto his bed with a sigh. 

He recounted the morning for the nth time that day. God knows he'll never get tired of it. A goofy smile lit his face as he remembered every detail. He went over his conclusions that morning, up until the last part of it. His final conclusion.

_Ken-kun loves me…_

Omi said it to himself aloud, enjoying the sound of the phrase. The feel of it on his tongue.

"Ken-kun loves me…"

And then, a single thought was enough to make him crash back down to earth… hard……

_~ Feh… I wouldn't count on that, Bombay…~_

-----*-----

(1) These two paragraphs are true, based on the "Forever White" story of Weiss, written by Ken'ichi Kanemaki (who also wrote the stories for the Dramatic Image Albums I & II) and released in Animage.

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	9. Love in Idleness

And YES! Our resident telepath is back to burst Omi's bubble with a vengeance!! ;_;

_~Schu's speak~_

_Chapter 9 – Love in Idleness_

Omi blinked. What the? He looked around his room, confused.

That didn't sound like his usual head voice.

And his head-voice certainly did NOT call him Bombay…

_~Observant little kitty, aren't you? But not observant enough.~_

At that, Omi reeled, _Schwarz!!_

He abruptly jumped to his feet, turning around, scanning his room for any sign of the red-haired telepath. His fingers instinctively moved down, searching for darts that weren't there.

_~Ah…picked that up quick… But no need to be so rash. And don't bother looking for me either…~ _

The voice had warned him, just as he was about to look out the window to search the alleyway.  Omi cursed under his breath

_~I doubt you would find me… And don't use such foul language! It doesn't suit you.~_

Omi hissed, _What do you want, Schwarz?_

_~I'm alone, chibi. You can call me Schuldich or just Schu if you like. And I'm just checking on my… shall we call it my handiwork?~_

_What are you talking about, Mastermind? _Omi slightly refused to call him by name.

Schuldich ignored him. A chuckle filled his mind. Omi shivered. It was creepy.

Finally Schuldich spoke again, ~_My, my, my… I never knew you had a thing for Siberian…~_

Omi felt his cheeks heat up. That was one bit of information he wanted _far_ from the reaches of  the likes of Schwarz.

_~Aw. Ickle Bombay's embarrassed. That just makes this all the more interesting.~_

Omi grit his teeth, _If you DARE to hurt him or ANY of the others, I'll…_

_~You'll what? Tsk tsk… Don't get yourself all worked up, chibi. I'm just having a little fun. I wasn't planning on hurting anyone. As a matter of fact, I think I've done you a favor, getting Siberian to fall for you.~_

_WHAT?!_

Schuldich laughed in his head. _~I'll admit that Balinese's attention for you was an accident. I was aiming for him to lust after Abyssinian. But the way things are now… I've decided this is much more fun…~_

_YOU?!!_ It took all of Omi's strength not to yell aloud. _YOU'RE behind all of this!!_

_~You wound me, chibi. It hurts that you don't appreciate my efforts…~_

_WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO THEM?! If you did ANYTHING…_

Schuldich laughed again. The same annoying laugh. Omi thought that he was lucky they weren't in the same room, or else he would have already wrung the German's neck… If he could get to him fast enough.

The voice finally spoke again. _~But my dear, dear Bombay… All I did was let out the love in idleness…~_

_Love in idleness?_ Omi stopped. 

Why did that strike a bell somewhere?

But before he could ask further, Schuldich spoke again, _~Ah. I'll be off chibi. I wish I could stay longer, but I'm afraid our dear leader will have my ass if I don't come back with my report. Auf weidersein!~ _

_Wait!!_ Omi screamed in his mind, _What do you mean?!!_

But there was no reply…

The telepath was gone…

-----*-----

The words still haunted him the whole day, and even the next day all throughout school. Through all his classes and even through Western Literature. 

It was only in that subject when he was able to snap out of it a little, groaning as he once again remembered his report. It was due the next week, and he had not worked on it at all. In fact, he hadn't finished reading the book yet. 

Because of that, he had reluctantly accepted the offer of three of his female classmates for a discussion-study group.

Mika, Hanako and Ayumi. He sighed. 

At least they weren't as fan crazy as other girls. And they were smart and responsible girls. He supposed they really could help him.

Though when the girls started, his mind drifted off again.

Truth be told, though, he wasn't really listening as they discussed the more romantic portions of the book, squealing about Lysander and Demetrius's enthusiasm to prove their love to fair Hermia. 

Omi laughed bitterly, remembering his analogy long ago. 

Every now and then, he smiled, replacing what they spoke of with himself and Ken. 

He saw himself and Ken, exchanging romantic words. Speaking to each other of love. Of all the lengths they'd attain to prove their love.

Omi shook his head, remembering that Ken was probably still kicking himself for what he had done the previous morning. 

He smiled again, promising to himself that he was going to tell Ken when he arrived home. He'll make his own confession and Ken would smile and scoop Omi up in his arms. 

And he would happily lean down, softly pressing their lips together…… 

He would whisper the words against Omi's mouth………

Those three words he had wanted to hear…………

It felt good for a while, until Schuldich's words finally crept up on him again…

_I never knew that you had a thing for Siberian. That just makes this all the more interesting… _

Omi gripped his pencil so hard, he almost broke it. He was grateful none of the girls noticed. 

_I think I've done you a favor, getting Siberian to fall for you…_

Omi loosened his grip, suddenly worried. What did he do? What did that mean? 

He wanted desperately to steer away from the obvious. That somehow, it was _Schuldich_ who made Ken fall in love with him. That Ken was never into him to begin with and that something happened to make him change his mind.

He supposed that it wasn't possible for Schuldich to delve into Ken's brain, implanting thoughts of love for Omi in there. For one, none of Schwarz were the types to do something like that.

Ayumi was talking, still discussing the book. 

"… and I felt so sorry for Helena in the beginning! Can you imagine, the one you love never having eyes for you?"

Omi nodded, absently. Thankfully, Ayumi still didn't notice. 

"Yes!" Mika agreed, "And even when she got her love in the end!"

It almost knocked Omi out of his chair. He stared at her, intensely, "WHAT?!"

The three girls almost jumped at his sudden tone. Omi calmed himself down and spoke more slowly, "Helena…got her love? You mean to say… Demetrius fell for Helena in the end?"

Ayumi blinked at him, "Why yes, Omi-kun! Didn't you know?"

He shook his head, "I… I haven't finished the book."

"Oh really?" Hanako looked quizzically at him. She shrugged. "Well to be honest, I was feeling sorry for Helena too. But you must admit… it was very funny when Lysander and Demetrius were BOTH chasing after her."

Omi swiveled around, facing her with wide eyes. "Wh-what?! BOTH of them fell in love with Helena?"

"You didn't read that part either?" Mika asked.

"I-I thought they both liked Hermia!"

"They did… So you can imagine the shock of both Helena and Hermia when they suddenly switched."

Omi's mind swirled. He thought back to the previous week, the day before freak night. He was sitting in the living room, reading the story, and he'd assigned roles to his teammates and himself. 

Aya was Hermia. Lysander and Demetrius had fit Yohji and Ken perfectly… and Helena was himself.

He digested this… as well as the new information.

The two suitors feuded for Hermia's attention. Yohji and Ken fought each other desperately over Aya.

Helena watched Demetrius, in love with him. Omi cared deeply for Ken, but was never able to show it.

Somewhere along the way, Lysander and Demetrius were in love with Helena, forgetting Hermia. Suddenly, Ken and Yohji switched their attention to Omi.

_This is crazy… _Omi swore in his mind. _This is irony… This is… insane!!_

He finally stood. "I-I need to go home… Is that okay?"

"Of course, Omi-kun!"

"Hai, Omi-kun!"

"We hope that we somehow helped you!"

"Y-yeah… Y-you helped a lot!"

He started to gather his things, fixing his bag. His hand moved over the book. He lifted it up, staring at its cover. 

"Um…" He looked over to the three girls again. "Just wondering… How _did_ Lysander and Demetrius fall in love with Helena?"

The three stared back at him. Finally, Hanako giggled. "Don't you know, Omi-kun?"

Omi shook his head.

The girl just shrugged, though what she said made Omi's blood run cold, sent shivers up his spine.

"Well… I suppose it was the love-in-idleness…"

-----*-----

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	10. The Truth is Revealed

I need an idea. I wanna make this other fic you see. But I need something slightly important. I need a suggestion for something for Ken to do to Omi that Omi will be absolutely pissed at him for. It should be a prank and non-yaoi or non-sexual in nature (I mean between them). Like for example, he messed up with Omi's laptop or something. Or he played around on Omi's online journal, making Omi appear gay. I dunno. That's why I need suggestions. 

_Chapter 10 – The Truth is Revealed_

None of the others questioned as Omi stormed into the shop, his normally tannish face frightfully pale. None of them dared put up an argument as he suddenly said that he needed to talk to all of them downstairs. 

The truth was they were all curious what was happening and what had gotten Omi so worked up. But none of them, not even Aya dared to go against him. They had all seen the look Omi was giving them, and it was _not _good.

They all waited downstairs as Omi dropped off his school things. Soon they heard his footsteps against the metal stairway and he descended to meet them. 

Omi was almost too calm as he walked in front of them, to where Manx usually showed them the tapes for their missions. He looked up and faced all his teammates.

Yohji and Ken were standing on opposite ends of the mission room. They sent each other an occasional glare. Aya grunted between them, leaning against the third wall, across Omi. 

Omi took a deep breath. His eyes wandered to Ken, still staring at him cluelessly. And yet, Omi could see it in his eyes. He didn't know why he never saw it before that moment. 

He almost wished he didn't have to tell them. Maybe he could work things out with Ken. Maybe things would be all right. In fact, they could have it perfect. 

But he needed to tell them. If he didn't, he'd just be fooling himself.

Omi laughed a bitter laugh. He remembered what he had been thinking only hours ago. He was supposed to be telling everyone a completely different story. He looked longingly at Ken for a few more moments then spoke.

"Aya-kun… Yohji-kun………… K-ken-kun… I-I… I-I've found out what's been going on here."

Yohji and Ken both looked surprised. Aya raised a curious eyebrow.

Ken spoke first. "Going on? What do you mean going on?"

Omi's voice cracked a little, "Ken-kun… I meant you and Yohji-kun. Your strange behavior."

"Strange behavior?" Yohji ran a hand through his hair. "If you're talking about Hidaka over there, then surely you should narrow it down…"

"Shut up, Kudou!" Ken snapped. "Let Omi finish!"

At that instant, Yohji quieted, "Gomen, Omittchi!" He looked up attentively at Omi.

Omi sighed, "_That _behavior!! Yohji-kun!! Ken-kun!! We _all_ know that you two were both hounding Aya-kun only last week!! And on one stupidly fateful day, you _both_ decided you were suddenly in love with _me_!!"

Yohji and Ken were both appalled yet again.

Omi finally began to pace, trying hard to put words to what he had to say. He paused, looking up at their fourth teammate, "Aya-kun. You agree with me right? This is all too unnatural for it to be real!"

Aya nodded his accord. Ken protested almost right away, "Unnatural? Unreal?! You're saying it _isn't_ real?!"

Omi slammed a book in front of them. "As unreal as this book."

They all stared at him. Yohji finally came forward, picking up the book he threw before them.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream? Isn't this the book you need to make a report on?" 

Omi nodded.

"So what does that have to do with anything?" was Ken again.

The youngest member of Weiss shut his eyes for a while. "Yesterday afternoon, while I was in my room, I was greeted by… a certain telepath…"

Aya's eyes flashed for a second, "Schwarz?"

"He…" Omi continued, "He revealed to me that… he was the cause of what was happening. Apparently, he did something to Yohji-kun and Ken-kun that night we stayed at that motel. Some kind of sick joke he played…"

Ken was still confused, "What _could_ he have done that led to this? I mean… He's telepathic… He's not a magician…"

"Well he _does _have the mind control…" Yohji said idly. "But I'm pretty sure my head is still screwed on." He raised an eyebrow at a sudden snort that Aya made. "And besides. Don't think he's powerful enough to control _both_ of us at the same time."

"It's not magic, and it's not mind control…" Omi picked up his book again, shuffling through the pages. "He gave me a hint… I still don't know if it was intentional. But he mentioned…" Omi looked up meaningfully at all of them. "He mentioned love-in-idleness."

Omi received blank stares from all around. "What does that have to do with anything?"

He found the page he needed and read aloud: 

_"Yet marked I where the bolt of Cupid fell. _

_     It fell upon a western flower,  _

_  Before milk-white, now purple with love's wound, _

_     And maiden's called it love-in-idleness."_

When Omi looked back up from his reading, he was once again greeted by three blank stares. Omi sighed, putting down the book. 

"It's a love potion," he said bluntly.

His reply was two yells. Yohji fell back down on his chair and Ken's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

Omi continued his explanation, "In the book, there were four lovers. Hermia and Lysander were very much in love, yet Demetrius also coveted Hermia. At the same time, Helena was in love with Demetrius," his voice broke a little, "who did not love her back…

"One day, they were found by Oberon, the king of the fairies. He felt sorry for Helena and ordered his servant, Puck, to cast the love potion on Demetrius.

"This is how it works. Puck needed to put some of the potion over the man's eyes as he slept. Who or whatever it is that he first sees when he awakens, he will immediately fall in love with."

Omi looked around him again. Aya looked nonchalant, yet attentive. Yohji looked a little bored. What surprised him was that Ken looked intrigued. "What happened next?"

Omi dared not tell him that Puck made a mistake and that Lysander and Demetrius _both_ fell for Helena. He thought that they would also notice the similarities, and then after making the connections, they might circle back and realize the feelings Omi had been keeping from them all.

Instead, ignoring the question, he eyed both Ken and Yohji carefully. "Do you guys remember if your eyes felt weird that morning after you woke up."

Ken's mouth opened to protest, but then he paused. "I… I remember rubbing at my eyes, because they felt like there was gunk in them…"

"Me too…" Yohji said with realization. "They felt sticky. Almost couldn't open them at first."

Omi nodded at Yohji, "And can you say honestly I was the first person you saw after you work up?"

Yohji snapped his fingers, "That's right! You were giving me the wake up call and my vision only cleared when I opened the door." Yohji grinned, "Omittchi, I think you're on to something here."

Omi gave him a small smile back. Then his face grew solemn as he turned to Ken. "Ken-kun? Am I allowed to believe that it's true for you too?"

Ken stared at Omi for a full thirty seconds. He still had that image embedded vividly into his mind. The first thing he saw that morning was Omi's face looking down at him. He still remembered everything… What Omi said, what Ken said, what Omi looked like…

When he finally found his voice to speak, it was barely a whisper. "I-I… You're right… You _were_ the first thing I saw…"

"I see…" Omi nodded, turning away. He couldn't bare to look at Ken. Not now.

There was a moment's silence as the information continued to sink in to each of them.

The silence was soon broken.

"So I DO love Aya after all!!" Yohji grinned, rubbing his hands in glee.

Aya was close to falling over. Though he managed to keep his balance, his eyes were still a little wider than usual.

The silence continued, only this time everyone was staring at Yohji.

Yohji stared back at everyone until he realized what he just said. His eyes widened and his mouth opened and closed. Everyone watched the goldfish imitation for several seconds until Yohji became completely flustered.

"S-saa!" he laughed, weakly. "I-I mean… I don't love Omi after all!!"

It was safe to say that the others probably didn't believe him. 

There was even more silence for a while. 

It was Aya's voice that broke it this time. "So, you're telling us this is all a joke by Schwarz?"

"H-hai…" Omi said, still staring at Yohji a while. 

"Then what are we going to do about it?"

Omi finally turned away from Yohji and nodded to Aya, "I-I don't know yet. I don't know if there's some kind of antidote. I guess I'm only hoping that the effects would eventually wear off…"

"Maybe they already are?" Yohji realized. He then grinned again, "This is great!! I really _am _not in love with Omi after all!" He instantly looked apologetically at Omi, "No offense, Omittchi. It's just that this sure explains a lot of crap I've been going through."

Omi smiled at him, "None taken, Yohji-kun. I know how you feel."

"Nah… Don't think so…" Yohji laughed again. "Now if you all would excuse me. I need to get some sleep. My head is throbbing."

With that, the two older members of Weiss left the room.

-----*-----

Aya was glad that things were now explained. He really had known all that time that the two imbeciles must have had some other reason to be giving Omi all that attention. 

He shook his head sadly, remembering the distressed look on Omi's face as he told them the truth. He saw the looks Omi kept giving Ken, and how his voice sounded every time he addressed the soccer player.

Now, he supposed things would get back to normal now, even if that _did_ involve Ken and Yohji annoying the hell out of him again. He was sure they would. Yohji's outburst slightly proved that. He rolled his eyes once more as he remembered what the idiot said in there. It had caught him off-guard.

And still he sighed. Aya had no idea why he was so relieved. Maybe it was because all the insanity was probably coming to an end. 

Or so he made himself believe. 

Even now, he refused to admit to himself the true reason of his apprehension of Yohji courting Omi. 

Again he sighed to himself before heading to his room. 

-----*-----

Omi watched with a small smile on his face. He was happy that Yohji was a bit more pleased now. He hoped Yohji was right and that the spell (if it was appropriate to call it that) would wear off soon.

The thought made his smile sad for a while. He remembered Ken and Ken's misplaced affections. He almost sobbed a little. He knew the truth now.

It turned out to be a good idea to keep his tears in; he had thought he was already alone in the room.

He was wrong. 

A small voice suddenly spoke up.

"So… I'm not… in love with you?"

Omi paused, turning around. Ken still hadn't left his spot. In fact, he hadn't been making a sound until now. 

"Ken-kun?"

"I-is that true?" Ken still stared at Omi, confused, "I don't love you?"

Omi lowered his eyes, hoping his voice wouldn't betray him, "No, Ken-kun. You don't. It's all some crazy delusion."

"B-but…" Ken's voice was still barely a whisper. "I-it felt… so real! I-I honestly believed…"

_Shut up… SHUT UP!!_ Omi's mind screamed. _Don't make this more hurtful for me than it already is!!_

"Ken-kun… it wasn't. None of it was real. You were just under the impression that you… were… i-in love with me… It was never real."

"But…" Ken's hands raked through brown hair. "I-I… It felt so right! It was… I can't believe…"

"Ken-kun!!" Omi finally cried out. Ken paused, looking up at him, wide-eyed. "Ken-kun…" Omi said, exasperated. "Don't you get it yet?! That potion thing _made _you _think _that!! It _made _you _feel _that. But the naked truth is…" He hoped his voice wouldn't betray him as he said, "You don't love me."

Ken instantly protested, "B-but…"

"Ken-kun!!" Omi cut him off, giving him a look. There was ice in both his eyes and his tone as he said each word firmly, almost spitting it out.

"You… don't… love… me…"

Ken looked up helplessly at him. He sighed and finally straightened. 

"I… I guess you're right…" he looked up, his face expressionless. "Of course you are, Omi. I shouldn't doubt you like that." A small smile sneaked up onto Ken's lips, "You're our Omittchi. You're always right." 

"Ken-kun…" Omi whispered.

"I'm really sorry. I mean, I shouldn't have done all that stuff then huh? Ah… what the hell? I didn't know any better. Seemed like a good idea then." 

"I-it's all right, Ken-kun. I-it was nothing! It's not like it… m-meant anything." 

Omi had no idea why he could lie so easily.

"Yeah… I suppose not." Ken reached up, and ruffled Omi's hair affectionately, a sad smile on his face, "G'night, Omittchi…"

Omi waited, listening as footsteps faded up the staircase. He waited for the sound of the door above. 

It opened… then shut…

The next instant, Omi was already on his knees, crying. He threw open the doors of his heart, letting out the emotions he had been keeping hidden the whole afternoon and evening.

In his mind, he repeated the words he had said himself, over and over.

_You don't love me…_

_You… don't… love… me…_

His shoulders heaved and his chest ached. His racking sobs echoed through the small room. 

And when he thought he could cry no more, he only started crying all over again.

"I love you, Ken…"

-----*-----

WHYYYYY AM I DOING THIS TO OMITTCHI?! CAN SOMEONE ANSWER ME?!!

*small voice* :: You're sadistic, remember?

……… Oh yeah…

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	11. Heart to Heart

Decided to put R2R up here instead…

**Megane-chan: **Oooh!! Can I have Ken instead?? *realizes everyone is staring at her, others are glaring angrily, especially Ken fans* Err… Never mind… *runs off for Omi instead*

**Carter and Kearoru: **Thanks for the ideas! I'll think about them… Maybe I can make it a series of things… Hmm…

**Those who commented on my sadism: **Actually, I don't torture characters physically. I much prefer to torture them mentally and emotionally… *evil grin* But of course… I do _read_ physical torture fics…

**Those who cried:** Ack! Gomen! Didn't think I made it that bad! O.o I'll try to make it up to you guys in the near or distant future… Try… I'm not sure yet…

I'd like to thank Hope, because during one of our wacky conversations, I found a line she said that fit so nicely into the dialogue here.

Warnings: I've lifted the rating of the fic because of a near lemon in this chapter… Or an almost lemon… Or whatever……… Oh… and it's ONLY a NEAR lemon… Not a full one…… A full lemon at this point of the story would be very strange for the plot… ^^;; Heck… Call it a lime if you want… I don't know anymore… Why don't I just go ahead and spoil you guys already and say it isn't … I SHOULD STOP BABBLING!!

_Chapter 11 – Heart to Heart_

_"Oh, gods… Ken-kun…"_

_"Omi…" he groaned in reply._

_A soft moan escaped the boy's lips. His head fell back, his eyes closed, his lips parted. "K-ken-kun…" Omi spoke the name like a prayer. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his breathing haggard._

_Ken moved up, covering Omi's body with his own. He leaned down and captured the boy's lips in a deep, passionate kiss. His fingers lightly brushed against Omi's sides and over his chest and stomach, each touch seeming to send his young lover closer to the edge._

_Omi pulled away, gasping for breath. "k-ken-kun… p-please… I-I can't wait…"_

_"Omi?" Ken asked. _

_He looked up at Ken, his eyes half-lidded, filled with desire._

_"please, ken-kun…make love to me…" _

_Ken smiled, trailing his hands to Omi's thighs. He brought one hand down, teasing the taut muscles surrounding his entrance._

_Omi moaned helplessly, "Oh, Ken-kun!! Please… take me… take me hard…" _

"OH GOD!!"

Ken's eyes flew open, grasping desperately around him. His hands found the sheets and he gripped them, trying to catch his breath. His mind searched for any form of rationality. 

_I…I just had a sex dream about Omi…_

_SHIT!! I almost had a SEX dream about OMI!!_

Ken shook his head, incredulous and quite disgusted with himself. Omi and sex did not fit in the same sentence!! Not in _his_ head at least!! What sort of depraved soul was he to have sexual fantasies about his best friend?!!

_The kind who was affected by some damned love potion…_

Ken sat up and clutched his head. _At least I woke up before I actually……… before we………_ he shuddered, wondering how far his dream would have taken him.

It had only been that afternoon when Omi told them the truth of what was happening. Only several hours before when he found out that he wasn't really in love with his best friend. 

He couldn't understand it. How could it be? He was totally convinced that there was something there. And now to discover it was all just some prank? Illusions created by some insane chemicals thrown together?

Then again, Yohji must have been the same way.

Ken leaned back and closed his eyes, deciding he should go back to sleep. He tried to push all sorts of thoughts regarding Omi.

Especially a naked Omi…

In his room…

On his bed…

Lying below him…

Crying out…

Moaning his name…

Begging for harder… faster… deeper…

Ken's eyes flew open again. He groaned loudly. "Gods… Omi… What the hell are you doing to me?!"

No… It wasn't fair to blame this on Omi. He should really blame himself, but then… there was also that potion…

And even if it wasn't because of some artificial thing, he knew it couldn't happen. He remembered the looks that Omi was giving him every time he was addressed. They were looks of hurt and disbelief. And of course there was what Omi had said to him.

Ken looked up at the ceiling and whispered the words back to himself. 

"You don't love me……" he stared blankly. "He said it himself. I don't love him."

_He doesn't _want_ me to love him._

Of course Omi wouldn't want Ken to love him. He probably thought it was weird enough that Ken used to like Aya. Omi was revolted at the idea that Ken decided to fall for _him_. That's why he was so intent on convincing Ken otherwise.

Ken didn't know why the thought really hurt. He supposed that the potion had some large grip on him.

He finally sighed. He leaned back down on the bed, deciding to get ready to get some sleep. 

That's when he noticed. His eyes widened as he looked down. 

"Ah SHIT!!"

Apparently, the dream had affected him more than he had thought. 

He jumped out of the bed, cursing loudly. He paced back and forth, contemplating his options. Either he decide to take a cold shower. Or…

Ken immediately opted for the shower. Somehow, he just knew that if he tried the second, he'd fantasize about Omi again. And there was no way he was going to let himself do it again.

He immediately grabbed a towel, plowed out his door and headed for the bathroom, hoping against hope that noone would wake up and discover him and his… state…

Ken walked to the bathroom, feeling a bit protected in the dark of the hallway. Or so he thought.

"Ken?"

Ken nearly jumped out of his skin. He spun around, "Yohji!!"

He was thankful it wasn't Omi. But still……… he eyed Yohji warily, "Wh-what are you doing up?" 

The blonde playboy smirked at him, a lit cigarette between his lips. He eyed the towel around Ken's shoulders, then let his vision wander downwards. Ken felt his cheeks heat up until Yohji spoke.

"So… You too?"

Ken's eyes widened as he blinked. It was only then that he realized that Yohji was also carrying a towel… and that he had the same problem as Ken.

Yohji sighed, leaning against the wall. 

"Look at us, Ken. We're a couple of perverts."

Ken laughed bitterly. "At least we know that it isn't because of our own minds. We've got that damned potion to blame."

"You've got that right," Yohji reached up, puffing his cigarette. "Still… I feel like such a dirty old man… dreaming stuff like that about Omittchi."

Ken nodded with a sigh. "You and me both…" He cursed under his breath. "I can't believe it. This is Omi… _Omi_!! We're not supposed to be having dreams about Omi! We're supposed to be…"

"Dealing with Aya…" Yohji agreed. "It's a good thing Omi told us about that stuff today. Or else, we might have gone nuts enough to try to…" he let the sentence trail off. They both knew what they might have done. They might have tried to reenact the dreams.

"Yeah…" Ken groaned. "I didn't even _have_ dreams about Aya…"

Yohji tilted his head, "You didn't?"

Ken raised an eyebrow, "_You_ did?"

The older man only laughed, "I'm surprised. Tell me, Ken-ken… What do you like about Aya?"

"Are you blind?" It was Ken's turn to laugh,  "_Look _at him!"

"Well… I've been doing that, haven't I? He's some eye candy, isn't he?"

"Yeah… Too bad he's also an ice block."

"Got that right, kiddo."

"What about you? Same thing?"

"Yeah… I guess so…" Yohji nodded. "I'm sure everyone with vision could see that Aya's damned beautiful."

"Ain't that the truth." 

"Anything else to that?"

Ken shrugged, "He makes me curious I guess. He's got that exotic beauty to him. And he's the rare type of person… maybe like some kind of flower anybody'd die to have. So that's why I decided I was gonna try for him; don't think someone like him would come along very often. That was a couple 'a weeks before I told you an' Omi."

"Get what you mean," Yohji nodded. "Tell me, Ken… Ever had a successful conversation with him?"

Ken blinked, "Wha?" He watched Yohji curiously for a while, then answered, "Guess so. A few times."

"Hm.. Just a couple of times?"

"Yeah, why?" he raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Don't tell me you've been able to talk to him a _lot_."

Yohji laughed. "See, Ken… I've got books."

"Books? What's that got to do with anything?"

The blonde playboy leaned back against the wall. He looked up, almost wistfully.

"There was this time back when Aya would come up to my room to borrow a book or two. And of course, he'd come back to return it, maybe getting another. I used to try to grill him about the books and he wouldn't answer. Finally got him to at least say thanks for each book he borrowed."

Ken was about to say something, but decided against it, just letting Yohji talk.

"Never gave up of course. The guy was reading _my_ books. So every time he came back, I'd keep asking if he liked the book or what he liked about it. Must have pissed him off or frustrated him after a while, because he finally started _answering_ my questions. We just talked about the books at first, then after a while, we'd have conversations about other stuff. Course Aya doesn't get too much input in. Hell, the man answers a couple of phrases at most.

"Never indulged in anything personal of course. Just kept to the lighter things. Mostly the books." 

"Wow," Ken murmured. "I'm almost envious."

Yohji looked over at Ken, "So, then, my boy… I learned that not _only_ is Aya really damned beautiful, he's really damned _smart_ too. He'd make some partner, he would."

Ken shook his head. "Why'd we never know about this?"

"Hey," he shrugged. "I don't flaunt everything. Especially not stuff like this. Surprised I'm even telling you now."

There was silence for a while, until Yohji broke it with a sigh. He took a long drag from his cigarette. Ken raised an eyebrow at that.

"Yohji… If Omi catches you smoking here, right in the hallway, he'll most probably kill you…"

Yohji laughed, "Yeah… I guess he would, wouldn't he?" he suddenly looked at his cigarette, dropping it and stepping on it. 

When Ken gave him a quizzical look, he just shrugged, "Felt like the right thing to do." He stopped and stared into nothingness for a while. "Damnit! This fucking potion's got me worse than I thought!!"

Ken actually had to laugh at that one. He thought for a while, and decided to ask a question he didn't really want to ask. "So… what does this potion make you think that you like about Omi?"

Yohji laughed again, "I don't think I should say… I don't know if you'll survive the nosebleed if I detail it to you."

Ken narrowed his eyes. "I see…"

"You?"

Ken thought for a while then leaned his head back against the wall.

"Omi's…amazing… He's sweet and kind… And at the same time he's smart and determined. I know he's younger than me and all, but… Sometimes he seems so much older. No matter what, he's always there for you, ready to help back you up. 

"I like… the way he can just be himself...no matter what happens.  Even when the shadows seem to overwhelm us all, he always manages to keep a smile on his face."

Yohji raised an eyebrow. He slowly leaned over and waved a hand in front of Ken's face. "Ken? Yo! Ken-ken…?"

There was no reaction. 

"Oi!! Ken! Snap out of it!" 

Ken shook his head, eying Yohji. "Eh? What?"

"You zoned out while you were talking about Omi…"

"I did?" Ken stared at him, "I guess the potion's got me bad too, huh?"

Yohji stared back, "Errr… Right…" Somehow, he was getting the weirdest feeling that that freak show wasn't the potion at work anymore.

He finally sighed, leaning back against the wall again.

"Tell ya what…"

"Hm?"

"Let's make a pact, here and now."

Ken was a little curious, "What sort of pact?"

"We each promise the other that we _never_ touch Omi again," Yohji began to tick off his fingers. "No more courting, no more gift, no more favors. And in the light of what's going on in our heads _now_… no touching, no cuddling…" he eyed Ken carefully. "Definitely no molesting…"

Ken turned red, "I would _never_…"

Yohji just gave him another stern look and continued, "No kissing……"

Ken only turned redder, embarrassed. He turned his attention to the floor, remembering that almost mistake.

The other was remembering as well. He remembered Omi prancing around him, practically floating in mid-air about something that Ken had done… That almost kiss.

Then he also remembered the looks Omi gave Ken earlier that day. He was hurt. The boy's heart was slowly being wrenched out of his chest as he told them the truth, bit by bit. Yohji now knew he should have been more thoughtful, but it was only later when he had realized.

_Damn,_ he turned to look at Ken. _Omi's crazy about him… It just broke him when he found out Ken wasn't in love with him for real._

Even if he wasn't under influence of the potion, Yohji still would have decided he didn't want to see Omi like that anymore. Which meant that Ken had to stay _away_ from Omi. 

He brought an imaginary cigarette to his lips, immediately cursing the fact that he had gotten rid of the one he just had. As he did so, Ken finally spoke up again.

"I … guess you're right. Omi probably hates me. Hates it that I like him that way, now." He sighed, "If I can somehow make it up to him, maybe lie low and away from him…… At least until this stuff wears off… It's for the best, isn't it?"

Yohji raised an eyebrow at him. _He doesn't know? _But then again, maybe it would be better if Ken didn't know. He turned away, and agreed, "Yeah… it's for the best. So… let's get our minds off of Omi, and go back to trying to get Aya to notice us." Ken chuckled a little as Yohji held out a hand to him, "Deal?"

Ken nodded, taking the hand and giving it a firm shake, "Deal…"

Yohji grinned, "Before our little 'truce' begins, I have one last thing to say about Omi…" 

"What's that?"

"For a kid his age… He's got some piece of ass…"

"Yohji!!" Ken yelled as Yohji only chuckled even more. 

"Don't tell me you've never noticed…"

Ken's cheeks heated up, not answering. Yohji laughed at Ken's blush, and ruffled his hair. "I thought so…" 

And before Ken could realize what was happening, Yohji had swiftly stepped before him. Ken's eyes widened to size of saucers, watching as Yohji disappeared into the bathroom. 

It was only then that he remembered the reason why he had come out here.

He straightened. 

He ran for the doorknob. 

He slammed against the door, just as he heard it click locked. 

"Gaaahh!! Kudouuuuuu!!!" 

And all that answered him was the sound of Yohji's snide laughter.

-----*-----

Well _that _was a weird ending to the chapter…

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	12. Reflection

Hi… School was catching up on me SO bad (Term's almost over)… So that's why this one came out a lot later than I usually manage. Actually, I had finished the final scene in my head so long ago but had nothing to fill the middle scene with. Frankly, I'm not happy with some parts, but I'm really happy with one of them! So here it is, finally! 

Reflection doesn't mean a mirror reflection by the way; it's more of thoughts and stuff.

_Chapter 12 – Reflection_

Omi tossed in his bed. He finally opened his eyes with a loud sigh. He hadn't been able to get a wink of sleep. Everything that had been happening over the past weeks distressed him far too much. Not to mention his little announcement only earlier that day. 

He looked over at his clock. 

Make that yesterday.

He sighed again, curling up on his bed. 

"No use… I'm not gonna get _any_ sleep tonight."

He got slightly, and headed over to his computer to work.

-----*-----

"Hey, Aya."

Aya looked up at Ken. He raised an eyebrow. _What now?_

Ken opened his mouth to say something. Then closed it. He seemed to think for a while before opening his mouth again. And closing it again.

Aya watched blankly as Ken left the kitchen. He returned to his coffee and the paper.

Five minutes later, Ken returned. 

Ken opened his mouth again. Aya actually counted before Ken closed it again. Ten seconds. Fascinating. 

He tried counting again when Ken did it once more. 

Exactly ten seconds later, the jaw snapped shut once more.

Aya amused himself, watching this happen a few more times before he asked, "Are you done with your goldfish imitation yet?"

Ken shut his mouth one last time, indignant. Finally he sighed and plopped into a chair.

"I can't…"

_Can't stop the fish imitation?_ But what Aya said aloud was, "Hn?"

Ken only shook his head, "I came down here with the perfect speech to ask ya out… or something like that… And I can't… Dunno _why_… Just felt really weird."

Aya raised an eyebrow at how open Ken was being. Maybe he was just insane again. He made a mental note to check if Ken had been imagining soccer balls to be heads again.

"…Ohayou, minna…………"

Ken and Aya looked up at the very weary voice. Omi trodded into the kitchen. His hair was still a mess, and there were a few circles under his eyes. Even his clothes looked like they had been thrown on in a hurry.

"Heyy!" Ken called, getting up and approaching him. "Are you okay?"

Omi waved a hand at him, "'m fine, Aya-kun…" and he continued on to grab a piece of toast.

Both Aya and Ken stared at him. Ken followed him, "It's Ken, Omittchi… Are you sure you're okay? You don't look too well…"

"Oh! Gomen, Ken-kun!" Omi yawned. "Really… I'm fine…"

"You don't look fine…"

"Ken-kun! It's _all right_… I just… I just wasn't able to sleep very well last night."

"Nightmares?" Ken couldn't take the concerned tone out of his voice.

"No, Ken-kun. Just… had a lot on mind. So after that, I decided to research all I can about that love-in-idleness thing, to figure out where the stuff came from and maybe figure out how to cure it."

Ken didn't even hear a word of what he said. "You should go back to bed then if you weren't able to sleep."

"Can't…" Omi yawned another time. "Have school…"

"We can make you skip school! You can call in sick or something."

Ken was resisting all his urges to reach out and hug Omi. To comfort him and ask him what was wrong. To lift the boy into his arms and force him to go back to sleep. But he had that pact to hold on to.

"C'mon, Omi… You won't be able to concentrate it school anyway…"

"Ken-kun…"

Ken looked up at Omi. Somehow, the boy had turned around and he was now half-glaring at him.

"Stop that."

"Stop what?" Ken was confused.

"Puttering after me and telling me what to do and what's good for me! You're not my mother…" Omi half-choked on what he said next. "You're definitely not my boyfriend."

Ken felt that sharp pain in his chest. Omi only continued with a soft sigh. "I already told you the truth yesterday.  I… I really appreciate it that you're being all concerned for me and everything… But please, Ken-kun… Not for the wrong reasons…"

"R-right," Ken mumbled. "You're right."

Omi finished off his makeshift breakfast, picked up his bag and started to leave. "I have to go now, Aya-kun… Ken-kun… Jaa… See you all later…"

Ken watched mournfully as Omi left.

As soon as he was gone, he said it aloud.

"He hates me."

"Hn?"

Ken jumped. He had almost forgotten that Aya was in the kitchen with them. He steeled himself and repeated bluntly. "You heard me. Omi hates me."

Aya grunted, returning to his paper and coffee. "No he doesn't."

"Yes he does!" Ken said bitterly. "You saw the way he was looking at me! He doesn't want me to like him like this."

He shook his head, "True. But he doesn't hate you."

"What made you the sudden expert?"

Aya raised an eyebrow, "And you say that _you_ are one?"

Ken clenched his teeth. "Look… Ah! Never mind! Why the hell am I bothering?! You're never going to understand what I'm going through here!!" 

With that, Ken stomped out of the kitchen.

Aya blinked. What was that all about?

-----*-----

It had taken Ken a while to calm down after his outburst. It was even harder to get him to come out and work in the shop again. All he did was mutter something about Omi and being hated. 

Aya shook his head. Either Ken was overreacting greatly, that potion had him a lot worse than ever, or he really did value Omi's friendship that much.

Or was it _really_ just the friendship Ken wanted? 

Aya shook his head again. He didn't know anymore, especially with all the insanity that had been happening. 

While Ken and Aya were working downstairs (Ken being quite gloomy and uncooperative, Aya had to add), business was quite slow. Aya eventually left Ken by himself, certain that Yohji would be coming down to take over for him soon. 

It was half an hour later when it happened. Aya was in the basement, calmly reading a book he hadn't continued in a while. A voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey, Aya… Thought I'd find ya down here." 

Aya didn't even need to bother looking up. He only continued reading his book._ The other one…_He thought to himself. 

Yohji seemed to not care about the response… or lack thereof. One could say he was quite used to it. 

"Come on, Aya. Ask me what I've been up to."

Aya didn't say anything. He merely turned the page of his novel. Yohji rolled his eyes, and plopped into the couch beside Aya. 

"Fine then. Let's pretend that you _did_ ask me what I've been up to. How's that?"

Still nothing. That didn't stop the older boy from continuing. "All right. My response would therefore be: Nothing much. Ken and I got to talking last night. Dug up some memories I thought I'd like to share."

Aya finally looked up, _What's this baka talking about? _

"Hah! So you _are _listening!" Yohji grinned and settled himself into an even more comfortable position. He chuckled a little. "Feh. We were usually sitting like this every time."

When Yohji saw that Aya had an eyebrow raised, he rolled his eyes. "Don't give me that! Don't tell me you've forgotten about my books."

_Books? Oh yeah. His books._ Aya shrugged his acknowledgment.

"Thought so. Used ta read ya poems by that Edgar Allan Poe fella," Yohji laughed again. "Was fun watching your face all those times."

Aya groaned.

"_Then_, there was that first time that I read you one of those sappy love poems. Remember?"

Another groan, even louder this time. 

"I'll take that as a yes. Found out it was more fun making you blush instead of- …"

He was interrupted by a growl. "I did _not_ blush…"

"And the iceman speaketh!" Yohji exclaimed as if cheering. "Sure, you didn't. You were only half a shade lighter than your hair." He grinned cynically as Aya did just that right now. "Anyway, I got to reading ya more of the stuff. I'm sure ya must have liked them too."

Aya only continued to growl. But then he rolled his eyes and sighed. He leaned back against the sofa.

Yohji looked up in almost thought. "You know… come to think of it… You started going out for dinner with me. And if I didn't know any better, almost seemed like you were looking forward to our little poetry sessions."

Aya made no move to confirm nor deny what Yohji was saying. In his mind, however, he was already replaying the memories. He had always faked sleeping so that Yohji would stop his mindless babbling, but everyday he had always ended up back on the sofa where Yohji could find him for the next reading.

And it really was true. After a while, the playboy had him eating out more often and they'd even watch a movie or a play together. Of course, Yohji would most often be forcing him into it, but in the end he always lost. Probably because Yohji was always nagging him too much.

Yohji was going over the same memories. "You know… Those were some good times… Something went wrong though… Wonder what… AH! _Now_, I remember!" 

Aya looked up at him questioningly, as if curious what was this breakthrough Yohji had stumbled upon.

Yohji rolled his eyes, staring at the door. "Ken came into the picture."

Aya was a little confused on what Ken had to do with anything. Sure, Ken liked him too… before… or maybe he still did. Noone knew for sure anymore because of the chaos they had been thrown into. 

The blonde merely sighed, leaning back a little, "Competition's a bitch, isn't it?"

That's when Aya finally understood. With Ken going after him as well, Yohji probably found the need to become more extravagant.

He never even thought that Yohji was possibly courting him back then. It was subtle. But when he found out that Ken was going to start too, he could no longer be subtle or silent. 

That's when Yohji and Ken _both _got irritating, and Aya wanted nothing more than to get away from them. He even stopped going to Yohji's so-called poetry readings, not that he expected them to be happening anymore. And every time any of the two asked him to dinner, the word 'date' always crossed his mind.

Aya simply sighed.

Beside him, Yohji echoed it. 

"And to think that now, it's Omi we're both after. Poor kid. For his sake, I hope that this damned thing that I'm on wears off soon."

Aya merely nodded his agreement. Not that Yohji really noticed… or even cared to notice.

"Oh well… Thanks for the chat… Or whatever that was…" Yohji stood up. "Now, excuse me. I still have to brood about the adorable Omittchi and his fantastic legs and ass… and how to GET said legs and ass out of my head forever."

Yohji exited the room, leaving Aya to his thoughts. The redhead watched Yohji's back until it disappeared behind a door. Memories, the same ones that Yohji had brought up, replayed in his mind.

He had to admit there were some rather pleasant ones, some he wouldn't mind at all doing again.

Aya then shook his head, and returned to the book he was reading.

-----*-----

… Wow… I actually got a scene in there that was about Aya and Yohji without any of the other two. And… I actually liked it. ^__^ YAY!!

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	13. Withdrawal and Closure

O___________O Wow… Thank you to **Zeto**… For giving me 12 reviews in a row… Though I'm quite shocked, I'm also very flattered. Thanks. To **Stormy** who called me an evil … bastard? O.o I've been called evil, bitch, witch, cruel, sadistic, but never bastard… I must say I was very surprised. Oh well… I suppose I'm flattered anyway… ^^ To **Aphrael**,** A Spell**, **Kasra**, **Shaynie**, and** Mookie**, I really love your reviews, you all! Everyone else thank you too…

I'm trying to hurry finishing this, especially because I wanna make more fics other than this one. My target for now is 20 chapters, but it might be more because I haven't outlined what's gonna happen yet.

_Chapter 13 – Withdrawal and Closure_

_"Oh gods!!" Omi threw his head back, moaning. His body arched up into Ken's, his hands clutching Ken's back._

_Ken didn't even stop, bringing his head down to suckle softly at Omi's shoulder. He moved a little faster, eliciting half-strangled cries from his lover. _

_"M-more…" he breathed. "F-faster… H-harder…" _

_Ken chuckled as he complied. Omi only cried out even more, moaning._

_And then Ken felt the smaller boy's body spasm underneath him. _

_"K-ken-kuunnnnnn!!!!"_

Ken jolted awake, covered in sweat. 

_Oh god… Not another one!_

He sat up, running his fingers through his hair. "Gods… What am I going to do? I hope Omi gets to cure us soon…"

_Omi…_

Ken shook his head quickly. _Nope! Not gonna do THAT again… Now… for the matters at hand…_

He looked down, sure to find himself in the same condition as he had been the other times.

He found out that this time was actually worse.

Ken groaned, covering his face with his hands. "I swear… When I find that bastard Schuldich, I am going to strangle him……slowly…"

He got up and out of the bed, pausing to retrieve a new set of boxers and pajama pants. He walked to the bathroom to clean himself up, grateful that this time, he _didn't_ bump into Yohji.

-----*-----

Aya couldn't keep silent this long. He knew that Yohji wouldn't bring it up, and he doubted Omi even noticed in his condition. Obviously, Ken couldn't bring it up himself. So, by default, he realized that _he_ needed to bring it up before something went bad.

"Has anyone else noticed what's wrong with Ken?"

Though Omi looked terribly exhausted like he did the previous two days, he still managed to look up with an immediate look of concern. "Eh? Ken-kun?"

Yohji shrugged. Ah, he _had _noticed. "He's been looking like a cocaine addict on withdrawal."

Omi's eyes widened, "Ehhh??"

Yohji frowned and ruffled Omi's hair, "I meant that figuratively, Omittchi."

"Oh… Of course! I knew tha-…"

"OW!!!"

The three of them jumped at the sudden yell. They all turned to the kitchen entry way to find Ken holding his head and …… kicking the wall??

"Stupid… damned… good for nothing… piece of rubble…"

Omi started to stand, "Ken-kun?"

Ken stopped and looked up, "Eh? What?"

"Wh-what are you doing?"

"……… I don't know… Felt like a good idea at the time…" he continued on into the kitchen. He collapsed himself into a chair and helped himself to some breakfast.

Omi watched him with concern in his eye, "Ken-kun, are you o-?"

"I'm fine," Ken snapped back before Omi could even finish the question. 

Three pairs of eyes widened. If there was one person among them that Ken did _not_ snap at, potion or not, it was Omi.

Ken suddenly covered his mouth, eyes also wide. "A-ah… S-sorry Omi… I…" he looked away a bit and repeated. "Yeah. I'm fine." He grabbed the pitcher of coffee that someone had prepared that morning and began to pour himself a cup. "You don't need to worry about me."

"But, Ken-kun…"

"Ah SHIT!!"

In an instant, Ken was standing again. Steaming hot coffee was spilling over the table and some had ended up on Ken's jeans. Aya and Omi had both stood too, avoiding the hot liquid that was spreading towards them.

"Aaagghh hot hot hot hot……" Ken hissed, putting down the pitcher rather roughly and rubbing at his jeans, not even paying attention to the coffee that was dripping to the floor.

Omi was the one on his feet, bringing forth kitchen towels and wiping at the spreading brown liquid.

"Ken, can you be more of imbecile?" Yohji grumbled, watching Omi fend for himself.

"Shut the hell up, Kudou!" Ken snapped again. He looked down at his ruined pants and groaned, "FUCK! Now I gotta go change again." 

With that he started heading back out the kitchen.

"Ahh!" Omi suddenly called, "Ken-kun!! Watch-…"

"OW!"

"-out…" 

After Ken cried out a few more profanities at the wall and kicked it a couple more times, he went back up the stairs, muttering under his breath.

Omi finished with the coffee stains and went to the sink to take care of the small towelette there.

"Ken-kun's very moody today…" he whispered softly.

"Withdrawal…" Yohji rolled his eyes.

Omi turned a bit to look out the door, sadly, _………Ken-kun… What's wrong?_

-----*-----

Ken lay awake in his bed, not trusting himself to go to sleep.

He was _not_ ready to have another wet dream about Omi.

He knew he should be getting some rest, but he couldn't bring himself to close his eyes. He didn't want to do that to Omi, even if it _was_ just in his dreams.

Of course, his heart begged to differ…… 

Not to mention his hormones……

He shook his head. No, he told himself over and over. You can always NOT blame yourself. You know the truth. He really did wish that the potion would wear off soon, so that he could go back to not dreaming about Omi.

Though, he knew his reason was more so that Omi would stop hating him.

Finally, he got up. It was useless just lying there. Maybe if he went down and watched TV, he could fall asleep without having those dreams.

He dressed himself a little better, finding a shirt and a pair of pajama pants. He didn't want anyone to find him downstairs in only his boxers (Heaven forbid if it was Omi himself!) As soon as he had deemed himself ready, he exited the room. (Narrowly avoiding the wall again)

He walked down the empty hallway, once again not bumping into their resident playboy. He briefly wondered if Yohji was having better sleep than he was. 

Ken's plans were interrupted quite quickly. As he passed by Omi's room, he heard a soft whimper. The door was slightly open. He doubled back, wondering if anything was wrong. His heart immediately began to ache, seeing Omi curled up, half-tangled in his blanket.

Ken was frozen to the spot for a moment. He could only watch as the younger boy tossed a little, tangling himself in his blanket even more.

His head and his heart went for a wrestling match. His head was telling him to just keep going, that if he went in there, Omi would probably just push him away again. Or maybe something in him would take over and he'd end up possibly molesting Omi. Ken winced at the thought.

He was about to continue on when there was another soft whimper. 

A whimper that sounded like…… 

……his name??

He stopped again, looking back into the room.

In the end, it really was his heart that won. He supposed that it was the potion, or maybe their friendship really did run very deep.

He stepped into the room, walking slowly toward the bed. Omi stirred a bit, making a soft whine.

Ken sat on the side of the bed, running a hand through Omi's hair. He murmured some words that seemed comforting. He smiled as he rubbed his back a little, watching as the restless jerks faded away.

Ken sighed. He looked away, continuing his ministrations. His mind jumbled over all the thoughts that had been coming to him that whole day and all the days before. 

He stopped his stroking when he felt that Omi had stopped moving. Before he left, he wanted to take one last look at him, to make sure he was sleeping peacefully now.

That's when he realized in horror that Omi had awakened and looking up at him.

"A-ah! Omi! I-I'm sorry… I-I came in because it… I-it looked like you weren't sleeping very well…" he looked away a bit. "I-I'd understand if you don't want me in here. I can leave…"

At that, he immediately stood and began to walk out the room. 

Just as he had risen to his feet, a hand clasped around his wrist.

He paused, turning slightly to see Omi still watching him. 

"K-ken-kun… I-it's okay… I-it's true I haven't been sleeping very well… Well, I suppose you knew that… C-could you just… please stay with me?"

Ken was more than a little surprised at the request. "But… Don't you… I thought you wouldn't like me to be here."

Omi tilted his head a little. Ken instantly thought that the look Omi was giving him was adorable.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"W-well… I was thinking… I-I… Don't you hate me or something?"

Omi's eyes widened, "Why would I hate you?"

"B-but… I-I…" Ken stuttered. "I thought… I mean… W-well… Why _wouldn't_ you hate me?! Here I come along, and claim being in love with you! Not to mention I almost kissed you that one time… And all the while it wasn't true! You _should_ hate me!"

Omi gaped, "Ken-kun… I-is that what you've been brooding about?"

Ken looked at him, a little shocked. _Aw man… he noticed…_ He slowly nodded. "H-hai. I can go now because you hate me. I really don't want you to so I'll…"

Omi strengthened his hold before Ken could try to leave again. "No! It's okay, Ken-kun. I…" he shook his head. "I… I couldn't _possibly_ hate you!" He cried out as if it were unthinkable. 

"B-but…"

"Ken-kun…" Omi rubbed his wrist. "It's okay. I understand… Sort of…" he watched Ken, holding his gaze. "We've known each other for so long… I.. I know that you wouldn't do something like that unless… unless you meant it… or if you weren't of the right mind… or something… And also…"

Omi paused and looked down for a while. 

"I… I could never hate you, Ken-kun…"

The way Omi said it warmed him deep inside. Ken found himself smiling. 

Omi smiled a little too, "Now stop brooding about it and stay with me. I really don't think I'd be able to sleep otherwise."

"But…" Ken began until he was cut off.

"Please, Ken-kun? Just this one time!"

Ken watched his eyes, and knew that he was sincere. Despite everything, it still warmed his heart. He smiled a little, testing the waters.

"Are you sure? You know… I might do weird things to you while you're sleeping…"

Omi returned the smile, "If you do and I feel it… I'll kick you where it hurts……. Hard…"

"I'll hold you to that."

"It's a promise."

Ken laughed, "Fair enough …"

With that agreement, Omi moved a little to the side and Ken joined him under the blanket. When he was settled in, Omi moved back in, snuggling up against him. Ken blinked a little.

"Omi? Are you _absolutely _sure?" he asked again.

Omi only moved even closer, burying his face into Ken's chest. "Hai…" he murmured against Ken's T-shirt. "I… I guess I just need someone right now… I'm glad it's you…"

Ken smiled, wrapping his arms around Omi's frame, rubbing his back over his pajama shirt. It took all his energy to not rub lower and cup that very tantalizing area between Omi's back and legs. 

Then again, he was motivated by Omi's threat at the same time.

Right when he was about to drift off to sleep, savoring the feel of Omi in his arms, he heard it.

It was barely a whisper, but he still heard it.

"Even if you'll never actually feel the same way… I will always love what we have together…"

Ken looked down at Omi, but his eyes were closed.

_…… What was that all about? Is he… Could he actually…?_

_No way… _he shook his head. _He couldn't…_

_………… Could he? _

-----*----- 

Wai! That was waffy… ^__^

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	14. Love and War

*is watching all the violence going on in the review section*

…… Umm…… Thanks? O.o

_Chapter 14 – Love and War_

Omi woke up slowly. It somehow felt nice and warm. It was the best sleep he had had in a couple of days.

He tried to move to get out of bed when he realized that he couldn't.

He blinked lightly before he finally realized that there was a pair of strong arms around him. A body was pressed up against his. _So_ that's _why it's warm!_

He investigated a little further, looking up and straight into the face of his friend. Brown hair fell softly over his closed eyes, and he was sleeping soundly. He was even snoring a little, which made Omi giggle despite himself.

His mind shuffled over their conversation the previous night. Now, he finally understood Ken's depression the past few days. He freed his arm a little, lightly brushing some of the hair off of Ken's face. _I can't believe he thought I hated him! Then again, I must have sounded so awful every time I told him to go away. It must have taken a lot for him to even come in here last night…_

The boy smiled, just watching his friend, resisting the biggest urge to lean over and kiss him then and there.

_I never thought I'd see the day…when I'd wake up in Ken's arms…_

Omi mentally hit himself. _Don't be so hopeful! It's not like it'll happen again! He might have only done it this one time because of that stupid enchantment!_

But… then again, it really didn't hurt to enjoy it while it lasted. And he _did_ still have half an hour before his alarm clock rang.

He snuggled into Ken's chest a little more. He fell back asleep with a soft smile on his face.

-----*----- 

There was loud banging at his door. Yohji groaned, and almost threw a pillow at the noise. "Go'way…"

"Yohji," Aya's muffled voice spoke. "Get up. You're opening today."

A loud grumble left Yohji's lips, "I thought it was Ken's turn…"

"I can't find him. You open."

At that instant, Yohji sat up, staring at the still closed door. "What?! What do you mean you can't find him?!"

"Yohji. Are you really planning on talking to me like this?"

With another grumble, Yohji climbed to his feet. Pulling on a pair of pants he found on the floor, he walked to the door and opened it.

"What do you mean you can't find him?!"

Aya's stare bore through him, "He's not in his room, and he isn't downstairs."

"Damnit, Aya! He can't have just disappeared!!"

This time, the redhead didn't respond.

Yohji ran a hand through his long hair, "Why don't _you_ open the shop?! You're already awake!!"

"So are you." With that, Aya started to turn around, back to his room. 

The older man groaned. He reentered his room, intent on searching for something to wear for the day. 

As soon as he had gotten himself dressed (mentally cursing one Hidaka Ken the whole time), he left his room and headed for the stairs.

He passed by Omi's room on the way and realized that the door was slightly ajar. Omi must have left it open the night before. He smiled softly, before hitting himself. _Nope. Not supposed to be thinking of Omi that way. Definitely not._

He moved closer, half-stepping into the room to close the door. He tried to stop the smile that flit onto his face but damnit! It came on anyway. He sighed to himself, his eyes softly assessing the huddled head that faced away from him, before he noticed what was terribly wrong.

Yohji froze. 

Last time he checked, Omi did _not_ have chocolate brown hair…

He went in to take a closer look. 

And there it was. Hidaka Ken was in Omi's bed, his arms wrapped protectively around Omi's curled form. Omi was huddled against Ken's chest and Ken's face was half-buried in Omi's hair.

The sight was almost endearing… If only Yohji weren't seething through his teeth. In one fluid motion, he yanked the sheets off of the couple.

Both teenagers felt the sudden movement and jolted awake. Omi unconsciously snuggled into Ken even more, which only enraged Yohji even more.

Ken twitched, his eyes slowly fluttering open. He looked up above him with hazy eyes…

…straight into Yohji's sneering face hovering above him.

With a loud yelp, Ken tried to move away, and fell off the bed.

Omi felt the loss of contact and awoke completely, "K-ken-kun?!" He partly scrambled over to see if Ken was all right, but froze when he saw the other presence in the room. "Yohji-kun?!!" he yelped.

"I _demand_ to know the meaning of this!!!" Yohji screeched, more at the near unconscious form on the floor rather than at Omi himself, but it seemed unlikely Ken could respond. 

Yohji watched the younger blonde do the famous fish imitation for a moment. Finally, Omi yelled the first thing that came to mind.

"It's not what you think!!"

"Sure… What _is_ it then?"

"I-I …" Ken stood up straighter to defend himself. "Omi was having nightmares! I just came in here to comfort him and keep him company!!"

"Oh! So comforting him involves molesting him now, I see?" Yohji's eyes were still narrowed.

"Molesting?!!" Ken shut his eyes and yelled at him, "I was _not_ trying to molest him!!!" He looked over at Omi for support. "Right?"

Omi had calmed down a little. He gave him a meaningful look, "Do you feel particularly sore in any sensitive areas?"

Ken thought for a while, taking a glance down at himself, "I suppose not."

"Then you didn't. I'm not a deep sleeper, and I keep true to my promises."

Yohji had no idea what they were talking about but he sneered, "Hah! Of course he'd support you, Hidaka. In fact, Omittchi might have _liked_ it if you went on and screwed his …"

"Yohji-kun!!" Omi shrieked in the middle of Yohji's sentence, color immediately rising to his cheeks.

Ken didn't hear the latter part of what Yohji was saying; Omi had interrupted in time. He was also a bit flushed, but still he glared, "Yohji! This isn't something you should get so damned _jealous_ about!! We all know that that stupid potion is working on your brain!!"

"That may be part of it, you ass," Yohji gritted his teeth. "But if I _do_ remember correctly, just a couple of nights ago, we made a little oath to each other that we both _lay off_ on Omittchi!! No touching, no cuddling, no molesting. Remember that little pact?"

Ken blinked. He hadn't really thought of that.

"What's going on in here?"

The three bishounen jumped at the new voice. They all looked up to find Aya standing at the door.

Aya looked over all of them, his gaze resting on Yohji. "Shouldn't you be downstairs, opening the shop?"

Yohji, almost childishly, pointed an accusing finger at Ken, "_He _was in here with Omi last night!"

Aya gave him a look which seemed to mean, 'and … that's bad becaauussee……?'

"Ayaaaa!! Don't you get it!! What if he was trying to rape Omi?!!"

"Yohji-kun!!" Omi gasped.

"Yohjiii!! I'd _never_-…!" Ken protested at the same time.

"How the _hell_ am I supposed to know that?!" Yohji spat back.

"Yohji."

The three of them finally quieted. Omi and Ken were both red in the face and Yohji was still seething. All turned back to Aya at the door.

Aya folded his arms and glared at Yohji. "Haul your damned ass downstairs or do I have to haul it down for you myself?"

Yohji's jaw dropped. He pointed at Ken and Omi again, "B-b-b-b-b-but what about them?!!"

"Do I have to repeat myself?"

"But Aya!! Don't you see?!!"

The expression on Aya's face said 'that does it!'. He calmly came into the room, grabbed Yohji by the collar of his shirt and promptly started dragging him out.

"H-h-h-heeyy!! AYA!!"

Ken and Omi were both quite dot-eyed as Aya continued to drag Yohji out of the room and down the hall. Silence filled the room once again.

It was when the older two had left their view when Ken heard Omi's soft voice again, "Ken-kun?"

Ken turned around. Omi was staring at him curiously. "Did you really?"

"Really what?"

"Make that pact with Yohji-kun? To not… well… touch me…?"

"Err… Yeah, I did." Ken admitted. "And apparently I violated it by sleeping with you last night." 

Omi's eyes widened, and he blushed. Ken's head was instantly filled with the images that he had just implied. He quickly reddened as well. "A-aa… You know what I mean…"

Omi was still red, but he managed to smile a little. "I see… I really mean that much to you, huh?"

"Hmm?" Ken shrugged, "Yeah… I guess you do… Wait a minute, of _course_ you do!!" 

He narrowed his eyes, his lips curled up in a grin, "You're everything I'm thinking about because of this damned enchantment thing." 

The smile quickly softened. "But you're also still my best friend. Since this is all fake anyway, I …. I decided I didn't want to do anything to damage that friendship."

Ken was surprised by the huge grin that suddenly spread onto Omi's face. The youth jumped off his bed, running over and hugging Ken. He buried his face into the older boy's chest, sighing happily.

 "…… Thank you, Ken-kun… Hearing you say that means so much to me…"

Ken smiled, slowly bringing his arms around to return the embrace.

They stood like that for a few more moments until Ken decided to break the silence.

"Omiiiiiii…" he said, teasingly. "If you keep this up, I might be forced to tear off all your clothes, force you onto your bed and rape you just like Yohji said…"

Omi laughed a little into Ken's chest, "If you even _begin_ to do anything like that… I'm holding true to my promise…" To add to his threat, he positioned one of his legs, ready to strike.

Ken yelped, "Okay! Okay! Backing off!!" He moved away, holding his hands up in defeat. Still, he chuckled a bit. "So… we're really okay?"

Omi laughed again. "Hai, Ken-kun. We're okay."

"Good…"

And the two younger members of Weiss smiled.

-----*-----

"Hey, Omittchi…"

Omi looked up from the arrangement he was making. "Ara? Ah! Hey, Yohji-kun." He took another flower from the side and added it to the bouquet. "Sorry about this morning. The truth is, I was having trouble sleeping and Ken-kun was there when I woke up… So I asked him to stay with me."

Yohji frowned. "Is that so?"

"Hai," Omi nodded. "Ken-kun didn't do anything wrong. Believe me! So if you want to get mad at someone, get mad at me."

Yohji sighed, "Nah. Can't be mad at you, chibi…" 

A smile lit across Omi's face, "Thanks for understanding, Yohji-kun."

"Yeah, yeah," Yohji scratched his head for a moment. "Listen, chibi. I… want to make it up to you. I got reservations at this restaurant I know you'll like."

Omi lit up even more, turning away from his flowers, "Really?"

"Yep. Let's go out and have some dinner. Just the two of us. Sounds good, nee?"

Omi suddenly frowned again, "Yohji-kun… That sounds a lot like a date…"

Yohji brought a hand to his chest, looking hurt, "Whatttt? C'mon Omi! You _did_ hear about the truce, nee? If Ken's not allowed to lay a finger on ya, then neither am I!"

The younger bishounen looked down and thought about this for a while. Finally, he smiled again and nodded. "Okay. We have to tell the others about it, okay? They might look for us later."

"Ah. Let me handle that, okay? You just get ready when you need to."

Omi grinned, "Thanks again, Yohji-kun! I'm so glad that there are no hard feelings about a while ago."

"Right, right…"

While he returned to working on the flowers, Yohji left his side for a moment and went out back. He leaned back on the wall, turning his head to watch Omi. His mind flashed back to the betrayal that Ken had done on their truce just that morning.

For a moment, he thought that this was probably unfair to both Omi and Ken. When he found out which one that Omi truly liked, he decided to stay back and watch. Provided that Ken do the same and not mislead Omi to believe things that might not be true.

And it was true, he promised not to lay a finger on Omi. 

But then again, so did Ken… And that's what terribly blew Yohji's gasket…

_Ah Ken… _Yohji thought as he lit a cigarette with a smirk. _You said it yourself not too long ago… _

_All is fair in love and war, nee?_

-----*-----

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	15. The Second Flight

LOOK! Déjà vu!! 

Really _twisted_ déjà vu…

_15 – The Second Flight_

"Um… Aya?"

Aya looked up from his book and raised an eyebrow at the doorway. Even before when Ken was after him the same way he is with Omi now, Ken never came into his room unless it were utterly important. Either that or he had once again become insane. Such a pity because Ken seemed a whole lot better that morning and afternoon after Yoji had found him and Omi together.

Ken fidgeted a little, adjusting the collar of his shirt. "Ah, well, Aya… I was just… Well… I was wondering…"

The eyebrow remained raised, slightly motioning for Ken to spit it out already.

"Um. Have… have you seen Omi or Yoji anywhere? I can't find either of them."

Aya merely shook his head, and returned to his book.

Ken paled almost immediately, "Shit… Don't tell me he did it again!"

He ran for the stairs.

-----*-----

"Thanks again, Yoji-kun. This… This means a lot to me."

"…… Actually, Omi… The reason I brought you here…… I… wanted to…… talk to you… about something…"

"Hm?"

-----*----- 

"A note," Ken mumbled to himself. "He left a note last time. Maybe…" he ran down further into their mission room. He looked at the computer, but there was nothing. The tables, the shelves, he even looked at the viewing screen. There was nothing.

"Where, where, where, where?!! Damnit!!" Ken ran back upstairs, searching through tables and chairs and shelves, shoving aside books, papers, tossing back pillows and other miscellaneous objects. Still there was nothing. 

He stopped in the middle of the room, staring into nothingness for a moment. It took him another ten seconds before he yelled in complete frustration.

"SHIT!!"

"Ken…"

Ken finally looked up, and saw Aya had just come down. The redhead glanced around the room, suspecting that a typhoon had gone through, named Hidaka. He didn't say anything though, just sent Ken a warning glance.

"I'll… clean it up…" Ken tried to say. But Aya just raised an eyebrow in question.

"… Yoji and Omi are missing, Aya… I… I was thinking that Yoji must have taken Omi out so I was…"

Aya cut him off. "Yoji did what?"

"I… I said that Yoji must have taken Omi out! H-he did the same thing with y-…"

Ken stopped again. Violet eyes were flashing with something that he could not place. Suddenly, Aya looked pretty dangerous.

"……Ken, grab your coat."

"Aya?"

"We're going after them."

-----*-----

"I… I don't know what… to say, Y-yoji-kun… I…"

"I'm sorry I brought it up, Omittchi… It's just… Well, it's been eating me up inside…"

"…It's… It's okay, Yoji-kun…" A weak smile lit up on the boy's face. "You don't have to apologize. I understand…"

-----*-----

Aya came out of the umpteenth restaurant that night… the last one that he knew Yoji would go to in that area. With an angered growl, he got back into his car and slammed the door.

Ken's eyes were bugging out of his head. "Well?!!"

"…… They're not in there either…"

"Damnit, Aya!! Where the hell are they??!"

Aya shook his head.

Ken pulled back his fist and hit the dashboard hard. "SHIT!!" 

Aya raised an eyebrow, sending a warning glance at Ken. Ken just growled and put his arm down. "Sorry……" he looked back up at Aya. "There are other places right?? What if… Yoji brought Omi to a bar? Or to the park? Hell, there could be a carnival in town!"

"Ken…"

Ken turned and practically screamed. "Don't you fucking 'Ken!' me, Aya!! I'm not going back until we find them!! And I'm damned sure you want to find those two as much as I do!!"

Aya was silent, thinking to himself. Finally, he started up the car again and put it into drive.

"Aya?" Ken asked, trying his best to calm down… Not very well succeeding.

"There's a bar Yoji likes to go to two blocks from here…"

"…… Thanks, Aya…"

-----*-----

"… Omi… What are you going to do about this?"

"… Don't worry, Yoji-kun. I know exactly what I have to do."

Green eyes widened, "You mean?"

"… Hai…"

-----*-----

Ken and Aya were still quite unsuccessful. There was only one last remaining park in the area. Ken was hoping beyond everything that Aya could find them there. He was blowing warm air into his hands when he heard the car door slam shut once again. He glanced upward, watching as Aya sat beside him.

"So?"

Aya shook his head. 

"Shit!! Aya!! Where the fuck else could they be??!!"

_That was the fifteenth time you said that tonight, baka. As if you were helping… _Aya didn't know what to answer him at first, which was not good because Ken looked ready to rip out his hair. The redhead just glared at him, _How do you think I feel, you baka? Yoji could be off molesting Omi by now…_

That's when it hit him.

"Ken…"

"What??" Ken grumbled irritably.

_Keep that tone, and I'll kick you out of the car to fend for yourself._ But that wasn't what Aya said. Instead, he asked slowly, "Where does Yoji bring his dates?"

A loud snort. "The same place everyone does! Bars, restaurants, parks…"

"And after?"

The soccer player thought for a while. 

He paled.

"No… No way… Yoji couldn't have brought Omi to… NO! Omi wouldn't let him!!"

Aya nodded, trying to hide the fact that he was gritting his teeth. "Where's the nearest hotel?"

-----*-----

"Omi… are you sure about this?"

"Yoji-kun… You don't have to worry about me…"

Yoji ran a hand through his hair, "But Omi… I just… well…" 

"Hai, Yoji-kun?"

A sad sigh. 

"I just don't want you to end up regretting anything."

-----*-----

"Thank you, again." 

Aya turned around and headed back out of the lobby. He exited the hotel with a frustrated groan before returning into the car.

He sat there for a few moments, waiting for Ken to burst out yelling again.

When Ken didn't, he sighed and said aloud and abrupt. "They're not there… There's another one not too far from here."

There was no response. Aya looked up to see what Ken was doing this time.

Nothing….

Ken was doing absolutely nothing… 

He was staring out into the open in front of him, just… watching…

"Ken?"

"……… He doesn't want me…"

Aya stared at him. Ken was barely shaking his head, still staring off. 

"He'll never want me…" Ken whispered again. "Just friends. That's it."

Were those tears in his eyes? Nah… It couldn't be…

"Ken…" Aya said sternly.

"Don't you see Aya??" Ken shook his head. "He picked Yoji. That's what this morning was all about. Omi doesn't want me to touch him that way or think of him as anything else…" 

Ken looked away, trying to hide the fact that he was crying, even though Aya already knew that he was. "I'm his friend… That's all… I'm never gonna be anything more with him… no matter how much I want to be…"

"Ken," Aya sighed. "This is the potion talking…"

"Aya…"

Ken looked up at him through tears, and yet the look on his face was serious. His voice was just a whisper as he spoke.

"…………What if it isn't?"

-----*-----

"Omi… Won't it hurt?"

"…… I… I know… But…" a very weak smile, "It's… It's all gonna be better in the end, nee?"

"Omi……"

"Y-yoji-kun… Stop talking me out of it…… This is what I want."

"……… All right then. If you say so, Omittchi…"

-----*-----

Aya leaned back with a groan. He was exhausted. Not to mention totally pissed. He had been to practically every place on the district and there was no sign of Omi _or _Yoji. And Ken wasn't being much help either, at first screaming at him every time he came into the car and now this unnatural silence. 

He looked beside him. Ken still hadn't moved. Not since that strange cry session he had. Not since he had said those strange words.

_"What if it isn't?"_

Aya shook it out of his head. He was still determined to find them. He put the car into drive and kept going.

"Ken, where next?"

No response at all, not even a peep.

Aya was getting fed up with this. He didn't know which one he hated more… the hysterical, screaming Ken before, or this uncharacteristically quiet one.

_I should've kicked him out two blocks back._

Still, he decided to give Ken one last chance. He slammed his foot into the brake on the next hotel that he found and turned to Ken. "Oi. Ken. Go in there and see if they checked in."

Still nothing. Ken didn't even flinch. In fact, he seemed to not have heard at all.

"Baka. Are you listening to me or do I have to kick you out?"

Silence. 

That did it.

Aya promptly leaned over, opened the door, pulled up a leg, kicked Ken out of his car, slammed the door shut again and drove off.

-----*-----

"Shhh… Omi… It's all right… You said so yourself, nee? It's all gonna be better in the end… It's going to be fine…"

There was no response at first, just silent sobbing and whimpering.

"Shhhhh….. It's okay… Don't worry… I'll make it better for you…"

-----*-----

Aya parked in front of the last hotel that night. If they weren't in here, he definitely didn't know where else to look. 

He got out of the car and looked up. 

He got into the hotel. 

-----*-----

Okay… here's the thing… I am holding the next chapter hostage until Aphrael updates _When in Rome_…  When I see a new chapter for that and find it worthy, I will upload the next chapter for this…

……………I'm still trying to decide if this is a joke or not…

…… Probably is and I'm just finding an excuse for my mental block for the next chapter…

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	16. False Appearance

**Aphrael:** Wah! Sorry I picked on you!! I really was mostly kidding but I really needed a different excuse other than mental block for the delay of this one… XP 

**Lady Cosmos: **About Aya, that's…… probably because I really rushed those parts ^^;;;;;;;;;; …… and also because Aya's so pissed off his brain isn't his anymore…… Maybe I should've had an OOC warning… In that case, this one has one too… A big one…

**A Spell:** Hmm…. Somehow I think we're from the same country… Especially since I cheated and found out you're a fellow member of blagger… XP The sister of a good friend of mine owns that clique… XP

This chapter would never have existed without **Shiiru-sama**, and the previous probably wouldn't have either. The main idea of the previous one was hers, and this one was mostly written by her and sorta edited by me. Thanks much, sempai! ^^

_Chapter 16 – False Appearance_

Aya stared in shock.

He was just standing there in the lobby of the hotel. 

He hadn't even reached the front desk when he had spotted something out of the corner of his eye. He paused in his rampage to check and make sure. He entered the small café in the hotel lobby and got a better view of the two blondes he was looking for.

Yohji was sitting there at one of the tables, with Omi beside him. The former had both his arms around the latter, seeming to be saying something to him. The half-eaten food and drink before them was being ignored.

Aya scowled. Yohji was sitting quite close to Omi and he wasn't sure how Omi was reacting because Omi wasn't looking in his direction. 

Fuming, he not-so-calmly walked toward their table, trying his best not to erupt, even though he was about to.

"Omae-ra…" he growled as soon as he was near enough.

Yohji looked up, apparently surprised. "Aya?!"

Omi also looked up. His eyes appeared to be red and his cheeks tear-stained, but Aya seemed far too gone to notice.

"HOW… _DARE_…. YOU…"

Omi and Yohji were speechless at first, just staring at Aya wide-eyed. The redhead seemed not to care and just continued.

"How _dare _you fucking _run_ off like this while we were all STUCK in the MIDDLE of this DAMNED potion THING?!"

Neither of the two were sure of what to say.

And Aya still seemed not to care.

"And then, you have the damned _gall_ to ENJOY yourselves while I'm OUT there running through THE WHOLE _FUCKING_ CITY looking for YOU??!!"

Aya glared more at Yohji as he continued.

"How DARE you fucking take HIM," he pointed an accusing finger at Omi, "out on a date just to satisfy your _goddamned_ ego, absolutely CONVINCED that you can charm anyone over to you?! 

"Or maybe you just wanted to win against _Ken_ THAT much?! Without thinking that he'd go INSANE and MAKE _ME _drive ALL OVER, LOOKING through every park, bar, restaurant and damnit! Even every HOTEL that we know you've used and hoping like SHIT that...."

He stopped in the middle, his voice trailing off as Yohji stood. Yohji walked to him and held his shoulders, gazing at him steadily until Aya lost his voice.

"Aya. I'm sorry."

Aya's face crumpled. Yohji immediately hugged him, pressing the younger man to his shoulder to keep anyone from seeing the look on his face. 

"I should've left at least a damned note, huh?"

Aya brought out a hand and squeezed Yohji's shoulder. "……You bastard."

"Yeah, well… I really couldn't let Hidaka intrude on this one." Yohji kissed the top of his head deep in thought. 

"Bastard." Aya repeated.

The other customers of the cafe were staring at them. Yohji was quite sure that security would've tried to kick Aya out were it not for him defusing the situation. And he wanted badly to look behind him to check on Omi. He wanted to see if the younger boy was alright. 

But he couldn't break the momentary calm that Aya was in right now.

The truth was he didn't need to check, because Omi was smiling behind them. He was still red-eyed, and somewhat crying, but he was smiling. 

Then he sighed softly and looked away, lost in his own thoughts.

Yohji finally spoke again after a moment's silence. "You hate me that much don't you?"

The hand on his shoulder fisted and hit him softly. "..... Of course I hate you. You're an egotistic, lazy, chain-smoking playboy. You're an incompetent bastard. You're annoying. You're stuck on the smug conviction that you're always right. You're a lying, cheating son-of-a-bitch. You're a slut. You're a whore. You're...."

Yohji chuckled. "Well then, what's the real reason why you're here?"

Aya was silent for a moment. 

That's when it hit him. And it hit him hard.

He knew right then the reason why he was there. 

He just suddenly knew what the reason was. 

And he hated it.

He thought a moment more and recomposed himself, slightly pushing away from Yohji. He glared at Yohji, feeling to be more himself again. 

"I wanted to make sure Omi was fine and you weren't molesting him."

"Really?" Yohji raised an eyebrow. "How nice of you to think of that all by yourself."

Silence.

"It was Ken who pointed out you two were missing."

"Hm?" Yohji looked confused. "Then why isn't he with you?" 

There was no response.

"Aya. I seriously doubt that he'd let you stomp over here without him coming along. He'll want to go after Omittchi too, especially in his condition."

"… He was with me…"

Yohji raised an eyebrow, "…… Okay… So where is he now?"

Aya twitched a little.

"He… lost it on the way."

"He WHAT?!"

The two paused and turned around to a wide-eyed, slack-jawed Omi. Aya had forgotten that he was even back there.

Omi tried to calm his breathing as he said slowly, "A-aya-kun? Wh-where's Ken-kun now?"

"……… Kicked him out of the car."

The boy's voice erupted in a shriek. 

"Wh-what?!! _Where_?!!"

"……… About three blocks back." 

Of course he wasn't so sure about that.

Omi was clutching his own chest, looking as if he were about to have a heart attack. Yohji gathered up his and Omi's coats. "Damnit, Aya! What were you thinking?!"

Good question. What _was_ he thinking? He hadn't been thinking straight this whole trip, like he was on some drunken rampage. 

Oh wait… That's right… NOW he knew what he was thinking. But he wasn't going to say what that was out loud.

"Ken-kun…" Omi half-moaned, half-wailed.

"Don't worry, Omittchi," Yohji said, reassuringly. "We're going back for him. I promised, right?" He patted Omi's head. 

Omi barely nodded. He couldn't bring himself to say anything. He couldn't really find his voice anymore.

Yohji turned to their other companion. 

"Aya, you lead the way. Omi and I'll follow you."

With that said, he looked up and asked a passing waiter for the check. After paying for their orders, Yohji took Omi's arm and pulled him out of the café. 

Omi followed, not able to do anything else even as Aya moved into the porsche and Yohji led him into the Super Sevens. He moved mechanically, not able to think straight.

Only one thing was running through his head.

_Ken-kun… please be all right… _

-----*-----

Whee… Chapter's shorter than usual.

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	17. Revelations

**Aphrael: **I am making up for the shortness in this one. This one's much longer… 

**Mookie: **She's happy you thanked her… ^^

**Everyone else: **All shall be revealed… What is happening to Ken as well as the true nature of Omi and Yohji's conversation two chapters ago!! 

_Chapter 17 - Revelations_

It was a little dark. He could see buildings and lights but didn't understand what they were exactly. There were stars. Was it night time? Maybe that's why it was dark.

There was the hazy form in front of him. He could make out light hair and large blue eyes… and that beautiful smile…

"Omi?" he whispered, reaching out to touch the boy. But his hand ran through the figure and grabbed at nothing. A tear trickled down his cheek. "Omi…"

-----*-----

Aya he stepped out of his parked porsche. Yohji parked his car behind Aya and slipped out. A shaky Omi stepped out of the other door, immediately looking around for Ken. 

"Around here," Aya said.

"So where is he?!" Omi yelled, frantically. He definitely didn't like the thought that Ken was just missing somewhere after he had 'lost it'. He looked around and called. "Ken-kun?!"__

"Ken?!" Yohji called. "Ken, where are ya, damnit?!"

"Here."

Both blondes perked up and ran to where Aya was standing. He pointed to a figure some distance away, sitting and huddled in the middle of the street.

A pair of headlights was coming up the road. Headlights belonging to a large truck.

-----*-----

There were voices. He didn't understand the voices.

He squinted a bit. There were more lights suddenly. Two? They were a bit far away, but they looked like they were coming closer. Was something coming? It looked big. Very big.

He just shook his head, still confused. He just wanted to get home. 

He wanted to find Omi.

-----*-----

"_Ken-kun_!!" Omi shrieked, breaking into a run but Yohji had already darted ahead of him.

In one swift movement, Yohji scooped Ken up from the road and they tumbled away from the path of the truck. It barely missed them. 

"Ken-kun! Yohji-kun!" 

Yohji grunted a bit and growled at Ken. "Baka. What were you thinking? You could've gotten yourself killed. And that would have killed Omittchi, too."****

He set Ken down on the pavement and looked up. Omi and Aya had caught up to them. He stood, stepping back. Omi immediately rushed forward and fell to his knees. 

"K-Ken-kun?" he whispered, shaking Ken gently by the shoulder. 

Ken just shook his head, mumbling something unintelligible. 

"Ken-kun… Please… it's me…"

Ken blinked a little, looking up at Omi's face. 

"……… Omi?"

Omi nodded through his tears, "K-ken-kun…"

"Omi…" A hand came up, fingers lightly brushing against Omi's cheek. "Omi… Is that really you?" A confused look went through his face. "You didn't disappear."

Omi blinked in slight surprise from the touch, but soon he leaned into Ken's hand. He smiled a bit, his own hand reaching up to touch Ken's. "Hai, Ken-kun… It's me… It's Omi… I'm not disappearing."

"… You… came back? You're not going away?"

"H-hai… I came back…" Omi lightly grasped the hand on his face. "I-I wasn't going to leave you, Ken-kun… You know I never would…"

"Omi…" Ken suddenly smiled a little, and he pulled Omi's face closer. "Omi……"

Omi's eyes widened. His heart was pounding loudly in his chest and he couldn't breathe.

Ken was kissing him. 

Ken was _kissing_ him.

_Oh gods… _Omi felt tears well up even more in his eyes. "Ken-kun…" His whisper was muffled into Ken's mouth right before he started returning the kiss. 

A short distance away, Yohji turned away. _Damnit Omi. We just talked about this._

_"Thanks again, Yohji-kun. This… This means a lot to me."_

_"…… Actually, Omi… The reason I brought you here…… I… wanted to…… talk to you… about something…"_

_"Hm?"_

_"…… I couldn't help but… well…" Yohji ran a hand through his hair. "About this morning… I lied… It's not okay with me…"_

_Omi's face fell, "It… It isn't?" he sighed a little, "Yohji-kun… Just like Ken-kun said… If you're being jealous, it's probably the poti-…"_

_"Omittchi, with or without this potion on me, I worry about you, okay? Whether I'm still after Aya or after you." Yohji had a sad look to his face. "Omi, I… know you like Ken as more than just a friend."_

_Omi's eyes widened, "Wh-what?"_

_Yohji actually chuckled a little, "Omi. With the way you danced out of Ken's room, all giddy and on cloud nine after he almost kissed you, I'd think it was pretty obvious. Don't ya think so too?"_

_A blush crept up to Omi's cheeks. Then he frowned, "But then… he didn't actually mean it…"_

_"… That's what I wanted to talk about."_

_"Hm?"_

_Yohji leaned back and sighed. He took a deep breath and looked at Omi again, "Omi…… Look… I…If you want to be with Ken, I don't mind. Really I don't. But… It's got to be real."_

_"I… I don't know what… to say, Y-Yohji-kun… I…"_

_"I'm sorry I brought it up, Omittchi… It's just… Well, it's been eating me up inside…"_

_"…It's… It's okay, Yohji-kun…" A weak smile lit up on the boy's face. "You don't have to apologize. I understand…" Omi looked up at him, still smiling that sad smile. "I know it should be real. I… I don't want it any other way."_

_"… Omi… What are you going to do about this?"_

_"… Don't worry, Yohji-kun. I know exactly what I have to do."_

_Green eyes widened, "You mean?"_

_"… Hai…" Omi looked up at him. "I… I want to look for that cure as soon as possible."_

_"Omi… are you sure about this?"_

_"Yohji-kun… You don't have to worry about me…"_

_Yohji ran a hand through his hair, "But Omi… I just… well…" _

_"Hai, Yohji-kun?"_

_Yohji sighed,  "I just don't want you to end up regretting anything." He eyed Omi again, "You're getting awfully close to Ken-ken anyway, you know. You should really stop that."_

_"…… I… I can't help it…"_

_"But, Omi… If you're going to cure him and he doesn't feel that way about you after all…" He sighed again. "Omi… Won't it hurt?"_

_"…… I… I know… But…" Omi smiled a very weak smile, "It's… It's all gonna be better in the end, nee?"_

_"Omi……"_

_"Y-Yohji-kun… Stop talking me out of it…… This is what I want."_

_"……… All right then. If you say so, Omittchi…"_

_Omi was silent for a while. Yohji said nothing more, leaning back and sighing._

_Until he heard some slight sniffing. He turned to Omi once more and noticed that the boy's shoulders were gently trembling, heaving a little with each of the soft gasping sounds._

_"Omi?" Yohji sat up and leaned forward toward the younger blonde. "Heeyy… Omi, ya crying?"_

_"N-no, I'm not…" Omi sobbed softly._

_"Yeah right," Yohji came closer and wrapped an arm around him. "C'mon Omi… Stop crying."_

_Omi leaned into him, his shoulders still shaking. He continued to sob quietly, shaking his head into Yohji's chest. "I-I don't want to do it Yohji-kun… I-I don't want to cure him… M-maybe… Maybe we could be fine this way… If… if it's the only way he'd…" he choked a little, "…he'd love me… then…"_

_"Omi…" Yohji sighed, wrapping his other arm around Omi and stroking his back. "If that's what you want…… as long as that doesn't hurt."_

_"Th-that's just it…… I-I don't want him to love me like that… I-I have to do it…" Omi beat at Yohji softly with a fist."I hate this… I-I hate this damn potion! I-I was fine thinking of Ken-kun as a friend. B-but then… It gave me that hope… Th-that hope that he felt the same for me…… And then… A-and then…"_

_"Omi……"_

_"A-actually feeling it… Actually knowing that it could have been… I-I don't know if I can do it… But… I know…. I have to…" Omi sobbed even more. "I hate this._

_"Shhh… Omi… It's all right… You said so yourself, nee? It's all gonna be better in the end… It's going to be fine…"_

_Omi made no response at first, just silently sobbing and whimpering._

_"Shhhhh….. It's okay… Don't worry… I'll make it better for you…"_

After this is over and we're both cured… _Yohji thought. _Even if I have to beat some sense into Ken myself...

"Jealous?"

Yohji looked up as Aya's voice broke into his thoughts. He shook his head. "No. Far from it."

Ken and Omi still hadn't separated on the pavement. Omi had placed his hands on Ken's shoulders and Ken had wrapped both arms around the thin waist. The kiss that they shared was soft, yet eager.

Until something finally snapped.

Omi suddenly pulled away from Ken, sobbing. He choked out a hoarse "no!" before trying to put some distance between himself and Ken. 

"Omi?" Ken's voice was soft, tinged with confusion. 

Omi's lips still tingled. He just wanted to forget everything and continue. He just wanted… 

He wanted… 

"N-no, Ken-kun… I…" he looked up at Ken, crying. "I.. I've got to cure you. We're… we're going to find some kind of antidote!"

Ken suddenly blinked as if he just thought of something. "You… kissed me…"

Omi's face fell."K-ken-kun… It wasn't…"

"You like me… don't you?"

Omi bit his lip and took a deep breath. "H… hai… I do…" he shook his head, his voice still hoarse. "I… I like you…"

Ken tilted his head, still confused. "Then what's wrong?"

"Everything!" Omi cried out. "Ken-kun… I… I don't want you to like me like that because something else is telling me you to. It's not for real! That's why I have to cure you!"

"I think it's real."

"No it _isn't_!"

Ken reached up and lightly touched Omi's lips. "But this felt real." He transferred his hand to Omi's cheek and pulled his face closer again. "Nee? Omi?"

"Ken-kun…" Omi whispered, his eyes fluttering closed for a split second. He shook his head and pushed Ken's shoulders away. "NO!" 

"Omi…"

"Ken-kun…" he sobbed. "Ken-kun… you don't like me that way, okay? You just don't! I thought I already told you that!!"

"That's not…"

"Don't you dare, Hidaka Ken!!" Omi suddenly shrieked. "I've told you a hundred times and I'll tell you a hundred times more!! I'll tell you again and again until you get it into your head!!" He grit his teeth, eyes brimming with tears. "You _don't_ love me… You were never in love with me and you aren't now!!"

Omi yelped as a hand touched his shoulder. Yohji was looking down at him, sadly. He took Omi's arm and gently pulled him up and away from Ken.

"That's enough, chibi."

"Y-Yohji-kun…" 

Ken's eyes suddenly flashed dangerously. He growled at Yohji. "K'so… Kudou…… Omae…"

"I'm not going to take him from you, _Hidaka_. Just calming him down before he rips you apart."

Omi couldn't look at anyone, just staring into the street beside him.

Aya came around, and with a grunt, pulled Ken to his feet as well. Ken's knees buckled a bit and even Yohji left Omi's side to support the brunette. Yohji looked up at Aya and after making sure Ken was blanked out again, he sighed and said softly. "We've got to separate them for now. You take Ken, I take Omi."

"Aa," Aya nodded.

Yohji looked back up at Omi, "Let's go. Omittchi, back to the Sevens."

-----*-----

Yohji tried to keep his eyes on the road but he still couldn't help raising an eyebrow. Omi was looking out and away from him. He couldn't even see the expression on the boy's face.

"Omi…" he started but Omi already cut him off.

"It's no use, Yohji-kun. I already know what you're gonna say."

Yohji sighed. "Omi…"

"I told you so, right?" Omi turned his way, glaring. His eyes were still red but he had already exhausted all his tears. "I told you not to get close to him. I told you that you were going to get hurt."

"That's not it," Yohji took a deep breath and let it out. "You still have a chance, Omi. You don't have to…"

"I'm curing him, Yohji-kun. And that's final."

"But…" 

"Yohji-kun… Tonight…" Omi looked down. "What just happened… And what almost happened with Ken-kun. I don't want it to happen again. It's gone way too far. I'll let myself get hurt, Yohji-kun… As long as he is fine and happy…" He looked back up at Yohji. "And at this rate… he won't be happy."

Yohji glanced at him. When he saw the determined look on the boy's face, he sighed.

_Love and war… it's crazy…_

"If that's what you want, Omittchi."

-----*-----

"Aya…"

"Aa…"

"Omi hates me, doesn't he?"

Aya groaned inside. He didn't want to have this conversation again.

"Iie… He doesn't."

"O-oh… Th-that's not what I meant. I meant… he's mad at me…"

"……"

Ken looked outside. Over the trip, he had recovered a little from his earlier state. He was thinking better and was easier to talk to. "I… I don't understand. All this time… I thought he hated me, but… was it really just the opposite?"

Aya sighed and decided to respond. "Hai. It was."

Ken turned a bit. "You knew? Since when?"

"Since you tried to ask me out."

Teal eyes widened. "Th-that long? He's… liked me for that long?"

"Longer."

Ken leaned his head against the glass in front of him. "……Shit."

Aya glimpsed at him and parked the car. "We're here."

"……… Aya… If he's… he's liked… me… all this time… Why'd I never see it?"

Aya raised an eyebrow at him. He sighed and slowly got out of the car. "Ken…… You wouldn't know love even if it was a 4-ton bullet train that ran over you."

Ken looked up at him blankly as he slammed the door shut.

The redhead left, starting toward the shop, but then paused when he saw Yohji and Omi pull up. He stared at them for a while, then shook his head and continued.

_Look who's talking_…

-----*-----

Shiiru-sama…. I lied… I put the line here…

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	18. Pain and Happiness

What's coming over me?! I'm not an angst writer! . I'm a comedy writer! Wah! 

Ahem… I thank **Zeto**, for giving me my 200th review… I have never, _ever_ hit 200 before and the fact that I recently did is honestly making me greatly happy… 

_Shiiru_**: **As a side effect, it also greatly inflates her already very large ego… 

_Riisha_**: **O.o Shiiru-samaaa!! Why are you here??

_Shiiru:_ I wrote part of this, remember? 

_Riisha: _…… Oh yeah… ^_^ Everyone thank my sempai for writing some parts of this chapter (and this entire fic, come to think of it), particularly parts with Aya and Yohji because I just suck at writing them. She knows them better than I do, so I just edit her stuff into here.

Oh and in case you didn't notice, this chapter is comparatively LONG for this fic… Call it compensation for the long delay… ^_^

_Chapter 18 - Pain and Happiness_

Ken woke up with a loud groan. He hadn't been able to sleep very well. That previous night with Omi and Yohji had sapped his strength, yet he couldn't bring himself to sleep no matter what he did. One thought ran through his head more than the others.

Omi liked him. More than as a friend. More than the best friend that he had always treated Omi before the potion happened to him.

He had never seen it before, but now as he thought about it… Omi was always encouraging him. Was always supporting him. Was always there for him. Even after Ken announced that he wanted to date Aya. It was a blow to his stomach when he remembered Omi bolting upstairs after that. He now knew the real reason why, that it wasn't some stupid homework he needed to get done.

And still, even then… Omi supported him. He even helped Ken get to Aya.

He felt like such a heel. Omi was his best friend in the world, before anything else (though it was more than that at the moment, but that didn't count if it was artificial like Omi said). He should have noticed it. He should have been looking out for Omi too. He should have been making sure his friend was happy. But he was too obsessed, chasing after the 'unattainable' Fujimiya Ran. 

Some best friend he was… 

And the way Omi was saying that he was going to cure them no matter what made him feel even worse. Omi was always the perfect one. Why was he always the one making sacrifices for Ken? For all of them? Giving up his own happiness for that of everyone else's? It… just wasn't fair. Omi deserved happiness too.

He immediately got up from the bed and set out to getting dressed. He had made up his mind. He was going to talk to Omi about what happened. They had to be able to settle this all _somehow_. He didn't want Omi to be miserable with whatever decision he was going to make.

He made his way for Omi's room, determined to make this the first thing he was to do that morning. 

But when he entered Omi's room, it was empty. The bed looked like it hadn't even been used. In fact, the room looked exactly the same way as it did when he was looking for Omi the previous night

Ken stepped in and closed the door, staring blankly. Where the hell could Omi be? He began to panic. Maybe that Schwarz bastard came back, trying to make everything worse by taking Omi. Or maybe Omi couldn't take it. He just got up and left. Ken felt something in his heart break as he thought that might be it.

Then he remembered. As soon as they had gotten home, Omi had gone straight for the basement. When Yohji and Ken had protested, Omi said that he was going to start research already. He dismissed their suggestions of using the computer in his room by saying the one downstairs was much better.

Had Omi been down there the whole night?? 

Ken slumped back against the door and resisted the urge to beat his head against it. He should have known… Omi was like that. Once he set his mind to something, he wouldn't stop til he did it. But that was usually for missions and occasionally schoolwork.

How could this mean so much to Omi?? 

With a final sigh, he straightened himself again and prepared to go downstairs.

-----*-----

Aya had gotten fed up waiting for someone to come down. 

It had been time to open the shop and Yohji was supposed to open, yet the playboy was nowhere to be found. If Ken or Omi had appeared instead, he could have relented, but _noone_ had appeared, leaving him to keep the store sign to 'closed'.

And Aya was _already_ in a foul mood because of what had happened the night before. Adding to that that he hadn't gotten much sleep, it was safe to say that he was much crankier than he usually was.

How the hell could _anyone_ sleep?! He expected Ken to be tossing with nightmares of oncoming bright lights and trucks, and Omi to be crying his heart out about his decision with Ken. Yohji shouldn't be sleeping well either! He couldn't come up with a good reason for Yohji, but Aya still couldn't believe that all three of them hadn't woken up yet.

_Goddamit!_

Finally, Aya couldn't take it anymore. In his irritation, he stomped up the stairs and headed for Yohji's room, the closest one, and the one who was _meant_ to open the shop in the first place. If he had gone up just a little earlier, he could have caught Ken going into Omi's room. But he had no such luck as he marched straight for Yohji's door.

He tried the doorknob and found it unlocked. With a grim look on his face, he went in and stomped for the bed. He was determined to throw the blonde out if he refused to get up and acknowledge the morning…

His plans were disrupted as he promptly slipped on some discarded clothing, lying forgotten on the floor. 

Aya instinctively braced himself to land on all fours, hands and knees, on either side of supine, sleeping Yohji. One thing he didn't remember, however, was just how _soft_ Yohji's bed was. He immediately sank upon contact, landing him smack on top of the unconscious man.

… just in time for him to slowly open his sleepy green eyes in dazed surprise while Aya struggled and only ended up tangled in the bed sheets and long tanned limbs. He looked up in wonder while Aya stared back in horror.

"Oh, this dream is ni~ce," purred Yohji as he snaked his limbs around Aya and pulled him down. Aya yelped and Yohji moaned, moving his hips up and languidly rubbing against him. 

Aya's eyes widened as Yohji's legs wrapped around him and _something_…… something that he would absolutely _refuse _to think about, poked his thigh.

Yohji peered at him with dreamy, lust-laden eyes. "so~~, te~~ll me, what's REAL reason why you're here?" he whispered huskily into Aya's ear. 

And to Aya's absolute horror, Yohji pulled him closer, flicked out his tongue and slowly licked up the whole side of Aya's face, starting from the jawline and not stopping til it reached his eye.

As soon as it was over…

… Aya raised a fist…

… and punched Yohji in the face.

-----*-----

Ken's plan to talk to Omi had been postponed…

As soon as he had left Omi's room, there was a loud yell from Yohji's. Next thing he saw was Aya stomping out, smoke practically coming out of his ears. What was Aya doing in there?

When Aya looked up and saw Ken, he immediately growled and yelled something that sounded a lot like "Haul your fucking ass down there, _right now_, Hidaka."

Needless to say, Ken was too scared to not comply. He was followed shortly by Yohji, who may or may not have been ready to get out of bed, but considering Aya's current mood, he doubted that Yohji wanted to incur even more of Aya's wrath.

Looks like Omi really _had_ to wait. 

Ken began to wonder if the god he wasn't sure he believed in was playing with him.

-----*-----

_Breakfast with Ken. How exciting, _thought Yohji. Not to mention the throbbing lump of pain that was his left eye. Aya just _had _to have damn good aim. Well, getting that, in exchange for a few seconds of a groping session with the hot redhead, wasn't really SO bad..

So here he was sitting at the breakfast table, facing Ken. He was idly trying to pretend it was another normal morning. But they all knew it couldn't _possibly _be normal. Not after what happened last night. 

Still, they had no choice; they were eating breakfast like any other day. Ken and Yohji at the table; Aya busy trying to find something on the shelves behind Ken. 

Yohji watched as Aya reached up on his tiptoes for something, watching the muscle on his back taut and ripple smoothly, tapering down--- what…… A distraction……… this is getting--

Meanwhile, across the table, Ken was staring at Yohji. The older man looked _quite_ out of it. Not to mention there was something wrong with the way he looked that morning. Ken tried to put his finger on it. He looked normal enough. His clothes (which was just a pair of pants) were normal, his face (except for the dazed look) seemed normal…

Ken knew not what Yohji was thinking, that the older man was contemplating that if only Ken and the damn chair was invisible, he'd be staring right at Aya's ass. Aya seemed to be deliberately making sure there was something between them ever since that incident this morning. Yohji thought that maybe, just MAYBE, if he stared hard enough, Ken and the stupid chair would disappear and he can have a nice view to come with his breakfast--

Ken was starting to get annoyed. "What? Is there something on my face??" 

It was disturbing because Yohji was giving him strange looks, even more so when he realized the strange looks intensely resembled leers. Why, though Yohji was looking at him with only one eye……

That's when Ken realized there was something wrong with Yohji's hair. It was parted on the right rather than on the center like it usually was. Some of Yohji's hair was covering his face, particularly his left eye.

And from the part that he _could_ see… Ken squinted a little to get a better look. Yohji had the makings of a shiner that could just possibly rival the one that he had gotten from his soccer ball the previous week.

"What the hell happened to your face?" he asked, incredulously.

Yohji's mind barely registered the query. What the hell happened? Oh yeah, he had come home badly depressed last night, considering that he had to drive a sobbing (okay, so maybe more like quietly crying) Omi home. Omi, who was bright and cheerful and pure sunshine, was crying the whole drive back. Though Omi had disappeared, Yohji couldn't find anything to relieve his own slump. He planned in bed that when he woke up, it'd either be a bottle of tequila or a can of ice cream. 

Tequila meant having a hangover, getting smelly and having everybody pissed off at you. Meanwhile, ice cream makes you feel bloated. So, his last thought before falling asleep was that he'd get ice cream.

"So, ah, what does that have to do with your black eye?"

Had he spoken aloud? Still, Ken was a distant notion… He had been thinking of ice cream. Ice cream came in a lot of wonderful forms. He had been dreaming of vanilla ice cream slathered all over with strawberry syrup on top of pancakes with real strawberries and whipped cream...

"Strawberries and whipped cream." Yohji replied gravely.

Ken stared at him. "What?"

Yohji nodded, completely serious, as seriously as one would contemplate the end of the world. 

How was he to know that when he opened his eyes, his confectionery fantasy would come in the extremely delectable form of AYA. Well, he had automatically assumed that his subconscious had picked up on his craving and transformed it into a lovely dream of Aya right on top of him, complete with that shocked look that said, 'Are you going to eat me?'

Hell, of course, he'd take the hint.

"Strawberries and whipped cream wrapped in lavender and roses," said Yohji as he stared at Ken with glazed eyes. The said vision had also been covered in blue pants and an ugly orange sweater, but Yohji didn't mind. No, not at all. Not when you've got plans that particularly meant getting rid of them.

Aya, who was still busy on the shelves looking for God-knows-what, tensed a bit. 

Ken felt a little uneasy. Even more so when Yohji moved forward and was suddenly straddling HIS lap, grabbing Ken's shoulders and intensifying his gaze. 

"-Came to me with the morning light, And who was I--" Yohji looked heavenwards as if in prayer. Aya realized that Yohji had somehow gotten closer to him and turned around in alarm, meeting his gaze, "--to not be tempted for a little taste?"

Ken did not like the situation one bit. There was a man sitting on HIS lap, shirtless, unshaven, and spouting poetry. He was trying his best not to scream at the top of his lungs. What the _hell _was Yohji doing?! Maybe that shiner knocked out what little sense he had left in his brain!

Why do things like this happen to _him_? 

Aya glared at Yohji, but Yohji broke eye contact to look at Ken again. "And then suddenly--" BAM! Yohji punched the chair exposed right next to Ken's face, making Ken yelp, "--the STARS wept PAIN--" he shouted and Ken twitched, "--and my vision left me..." he finished calmly. 

Ken was terribly trying to calm himself down. He said in a strained voice, "Who got hit what?"

Yohji ignored the question though he smiled at Ken and leaned closer, "But I never understand why, my motives are left unasked and I only be, what others assumed me to be." 

His eyes darkened and his voice rose again, "I've NEVER meant harm, I've NEVER tried to deceive, I've NEVER done you wrong--, I--" He looked up again. _You should know that I love you._ "--I've TAKEN the long way around--" _'Coz I can't help but fall for you. _"--Lost the girls, lost the dates, lost the vices, lost so much more" _Oh, honey, if you only knew. _"I've played the fool and I've played the villain--" Yohji glared straight back at Aya's. _Now you know. _

Yohji smirked, "I'd laugh when I say it, but still it would be utterly true--" Yohji's eyes softened, saddened, "That I would gate-crash through hell for you." _And we should love like lovers do._ "And the last thing that I would want to know--" Yohji leaned forward, closer, to Aya, "--is that if you--" 

Ken finally lost all his restraint. With his nose just barely brushing Yohji's chest, he screamed the hardest he had ever screamed, abruptly breaking the trance.

Aya snapped, turned on his heels, and walked out of the kitchen. Yohji ignored Ken, screaming at Yohji to get the HELL off him, to get the fuck AWAY from him, while Yohji silently watched Aya leave. _Oh, honey, I always lose._

By now, Ken's screaming had turned into unintelligible shrieks of anguish.

Aya walked out of that kitchen as fast as he could, walked past the doors, as fast as he could to get out of there. 

_But now you know._

Ken had stopped screaming by then. His voice was too weary to continue, but that still did not deny the fact that there was a dazed, half-naked, insane man on his lap. When he thought that matters couldn't get any worse, he heard another weary voice not so far away.

"mornin' 'ya-kun… Eh? Aya-kun? Where ya goin…?"

Ken froze. He barely had enough time react before the familiar honey-haired figure entered. 

Omi immediately stopped at the doorway. His eyes were blue saucers as he stared at the scene displayed before him.

"O-Omi!!" Ken yelled, still trying to push Yohji off of him.

"K-ken-kun?! Yohji-kun?!!" Omi practically shrieked, successfully looking a lot more frightened than shocked because his eyes were red from lack of sleep.

"Omi!! It's _not_ what you're thinking!!"

Yohji blankly looked down at Ken and blinked. "… You're not Aya…"

Ken greatly resisted the urge to hit him and give him a second shiner. Two matching black eyes might suit him. Or maybe a kick to the Yohji's most valued jewels would be nice. 

Instead he resorted to yelling. "DAMNIT, Kudou!! Just get the hell OFF!!"

Omi was still wide-eyed, too shock to move or speak. He finally ran into the kitchen, grabbing some things from the table, looking very flustered.

"I… I hope I'm not interrupting anything!" his voice was a mixture of fatigue, anxiety, and pain. "I-I mean.. Well.. I-if you two were.. B-busy… I-I'll just leave!"

Ken knew this was not a very good way to start his talk with Omi.

-----*-----

Omi was slowly starting to lose it. He had already finished breakfast, which had satisfied him for the moment. Breakfast made him think of the kitchen, which made him think of the rather awkward scene that he had walked in on. Ken had reassured him over and over that _nothing_ had been going on… at least between him and Yohji. But apparently, Omi had just missed a freak show that Yohji had put on for Ken and Aya's entertainment. Something about Yohji having a black eye and having some sense knocked out of him.

Considering the insanity going around these days, Omi decided that it just may have been true.

At the moment, his problem was his consciousness slipping away. Any minute now, he'll end up with his face in his keyboard. 

A voice broke through the clacking of the keyboard, jolting him back awake.. For the moment.

"Omi?"

The clacking paused for a moment. Omi was suddenly wide-awake. "… Ken-kun…" 

"u-um… Mornin' again Omi…" Ken stepped a bit closer and stopped. "Listen, I really am _so _sorry about this morning. I have no clue what Yohji was trying to do. He _said _that he was talking to Aya, but frankly, I'm starting to think that he knocked his head so much, that he tried to confess love to _me_. Obviously, I turned him down. He just isn't my type."

Despite how crappy he felt, Omi couldn't help chuckling. Maybe Ken could just do that sometimes. Behind him, Ken smiled. 

Omi continued typing, "So… What are you doing here, Ken-kun?"

"I told you I was coming down. And I should ask you the same thing. Were you up the whole night?"

"……No I wasn't…" he lied.

"Sure, Omi." Ken sat on the couch behind him. "I know when you're determined to do something, you stop at nothing til you do it. Besides, I saw your room was empty." He hung his head a bit. "And… considering that… what you… were saying…… You're… pretty determined to cure me and Yohji."

Omi's hands froze. He bit his lip before he continued. "Hai, Ken-kun. I've put it off for far too long."

"Aa…"

There was a pregnant silence, broken only with the soft sound of the keyboard. 

"Omi…" Ken scratched his head. "I… About last night… I…"

"Ken-kun… Just forget about it, all right?"

"No. I'm not forgetting. Look, Omi… I'm sorry."

Omi paused again and slowly whirled his chair around. "…… Sorry about what?"

Ken looked down. He took a deep breath, "I'm sorry that I didn't know how you felt about me."

"……… That's……" Omi choked a little as he turned back to the computer. He needed to continue now. He needed to… "That's… all right, Ken-kun…… You were… You liked Aya-kun! I mean…"

"That's just it. I was so intent on running after Aya that I… I don't know… I guess… I forgot to look around… and realize that you… you were…"

Omi's hands went flat again as Ken trailed off. Ken sighed, scratching his head. "Look, Omi… You're obviously the one who's suffering the most out of all of this. And I hate that." Omi looked like he was going to say something but he quickly interrupted. "and before you say that bullshit about the potion, I know that I'd hate it even without that stuff on me."

"Ken-kun…"

"Omi… You're the best friend a guy could have. I'm damn lucky that you're mine," he looked down. "I… I only wish that I _was_ in love with you for real. Anyone would love to have you love them." 

Omi's heart leapt temporarily. It was the closest he could get to a real love confession with it still being the truth. He let it sink down again, but he was still smiling a little anyway.

"Why do you always make me feel good, Ken-kun?"

Ken let himself smile. "I dunno. Maybe I'm cursed and I'm only supposed to make you smile, not cry." 

He bit back the words as soon as they were out. They both knew that wasn't the case. It hadn't been for… perhaps months by then. 

Omi started typing again. Ken swallowed dryly, "Omi… Shit… I… Damnit!" he stood up again. "Omi, you do_ not_ deserve this! And I'm not saying that because I think I'm in love with you or whatever else crap you want to feed me."

"Ken-kun…" Omi began, but Ken cut him off.

"Listen, Omi… Even if you do cure us and we're all 'normal' again, I'm sticking by you. I'm still your friend, now and forever." He ran his fingers through his hair and continued, "If you need _anything_… someone to laugh with, someone to hang out with, someone to cheer you up, someone to talk to, someone to cry on… maybe even something stupid like someone to make sandwiches for you or clean up your room or take your shifts…"

When Omi giggled despite himself, Ken smiled… and his smile turned into a soft smirk, "Someone to make out with or even someone to rent out… certain frustrations by having se-…"

"KEN-KUN!!" Omi suddenly yelped, accidentally hitting some papers. They flew across the floor.

"I was _kidding_, Omi! Okay, fine… Anything _but_ the last two…" Ken's smile softened. "If you need anything at _all_, I'm always gonna be here for you." 

Omi paused, "I'd… Well… I guess I'd like that."

Ken scratched his head, "But I… I dunno how that's going to make you happy… as happy as you _could_ be if only I was…"

He didn't finish the statement, feeling guilty again. However, Omi stopped typing completely. He turned a little, a sad smile on his face. "It'll make me happy, Ken-kun. You don't know how much." he turned away. "I guess… it wouldn't compare to if we… really were… but it'll still make me happy _enough_."

Ken didn't know if he was telling the truth. Also he wasn't sure if he was satisfied with Omi's answer. All he could do was take Omi's word on it for now.

He hung his head as he said the last thinking he needed to say. "…… I'm… also sorry for…… for kissing you…" The typing paused again. It didn't continue as Ken kept going. "I… was _totally_ out of it! Not thinking at all… I…"

"Ken-kun…" Omi interrupted. He glanced at Ken then looked away again, smiling a bit. "Umm.. Maybe… that's something you… don't have to apologize for."

Ken blinked. "Why not?"

Omi blushed a little more, "Well… um… it… was good…"

Ken blinked again, then smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah, you're… you're a good kisser." Omi was turning redder by the moment.

The brunette's smile widened. "You think so? You know, you're pretty good yourself…"

"K-ken-kun!" Omi had reached maximum flush. 

Ken laughed, "Well, you started it!"

"A-and I don't even know why I told you!" Omi looked down and away again. "B-but… It… _is_ true… If.. If circumstances were different… I… I really wouldn't mind if it happened again…"

He gasped as he felt his chair move. It slowly turned around and he was now facing Ken. He didn't even notice that the other had come closer in the first place.

"You mean that?" Ken asked as he leaned down a little. The expression on his face was warning Omi that Ken had suddenly forgotten what they were saying.

Omi immediately put up a hand to keep him back. "Ken-kun… No… I said if things were…"

"Different. Yeah, I know…" Ken took Omi's wrist and put the hand away. "Pretend it's different then."

"Ken-kun… We just talked about this," Omi's voice was reduced to a whisper as Ken leaned closer.

"Yeah…" Ken mumbled as he lightly touched Omi's face, "We did, didn't we? Something about making you happy…?"

Omi watched as Ken's eyes fluttered closed… As he leaned down even more.

"N-no… Ken…" Omi made one final weak protest, even though his eyes began to close as well. His brain silently shut down, his arms beginning to lift to sneak themselves around… 

A very loud beep made his brain start up again.

He gasped and pushed Ken away, immediately spinning the chair back to the computer. He stared at the computer in horror as a message box disappeared and the monitor seemed to flicker.

"Ken-kun!! What did you do?!!"

Ken blinked, still a bit dazed. "I… don't know…? I think I… hit the keyboard…?"

"WHAT?!!" 

Omi's shriek seemed to bring Ken back to earth because he finally seemed to understand the severity of the situation. His eyes grew wide as Omi brought his hands back down and started typing quickly.

The screen stopped flickering. Both teenagers stared wide-eyed at the monitor as a file was suddenly displayed to them. It appeared to be an index of 15 or so items.

On the list was Experiment 7043: 'Love-in-Idleness'

There was silence for a while, broken by a soft whisper.

"You found it…"

And then suddenly Omi shrieked again, half-giggling as he typed something to open the file. While it loaded, he spun the chair back, jumped up and threw his arms around Ken, laughing giddily.

"Ken-kun!! You found it!! I can't believe you found it!!"

Ken returned the embrace tightly. He wasn't sure if he should be happy or not about the news, and god knew that he had been cursing under his breath for having been interrupted, Omi and himself. However, Omi was laughing. It was so great to see Omi laughing, that he decided it was very good news after all.

He wrapped his arms tighter around Omi's waist, trying to let himself not savor the feel (it was difficult). He looked up and noticed the file was done, displaying a title and some paragraphs of description. He skimmed though, skipping the parts that only confirmed Omi's previous inferences.

He froze. "O-Omi…"

"Ken-kun?" Omi pulled back, looking up at him. (Ken noticed with wonder that he seemed to have forgotten that they almost kissed despite Omi's reluctance). "Aren't you glad? I mean… they should have the cure here right? Everything'll be back to normal and…"

Omi trailed off, seeing Ken shake his head. Ken couldn't say anything, still staring at the screen. Omi was almost too scared to look, but still he turned around and read through what was written.

When he reached the bottom-most line, he paled.

"No…"

_The product created from Experiment 7043 proved to be a success. There were pleasing results from the tests and treatments regarding the finished solution. _

_However… an antidote has yet to be found…_

-----*-----

Shiiru-sama says that lyrics were taken and butchered from Said Sadly by James Iha and Nina Gordon.

DAMN this became a lot longer than I expected…

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	19. Shakespeare

I finally got off my lazy bum and corrected Yohji's name from Yoji to Yohji in the previous chapters because I like it being uniform and I'm now used to typing 'Yohji' and correcting myself every time I make a mistake is downright irritating.

Anyway… Those who thanked Shiiru-sama… She very happily appreciates it. And thank her again and again for all the next chapters to come, she's a lot of help to me.

The full title of this chapter is "Shakespeare is an Idiot". Its alternate title is "And Blondes go Crazy".

It became long again… oiii… oh well… more recompense… Please believe me when I say it was a very difficult chapter to write. Especially two scenes of it, and I'm not exactly happy with one of them until the end.

_Chapter 19 - Shakespeare_

"No… No no nonono NO!!"

"Omi…" Ken reached out to touch Omi's shoulder but the younger boy just shook him off, burying his face in his hands.

"Omi… It's… It's okay…"

"Don't say that!" Omi cried, standing up abruptly and stomping away. "It's _not_ okay!"

Ken watched helplessly as Omi plopped onto the sofa, gripping at his hair. "Omi… C'mon! It's…"

"Shut up, Ken-kun." Omi snapped. "And don't think I'm going to let you off easy after you tried to kiss me again." 

Ken clamped his mouth shut. He had hoped that Omi wouldn't be sore about that. Ken _did_ almost succeed after all.

Omi groaned again, rubbing his temples with his fingers. "This is crazy… I mean… It's almost as if I really was sucked into some stupid fairy tale… Or fantasy bo-…" He suddenly straightened. "The book…"

"What?"

"The book!" Omi cried, jumping to his feet. He scrambled back to the computer and shuffled through all his papers. "It's not here!" was his next despairing yell before he darted past Ken and up the stairs. 

Bewildered, Ken followed. He thought he saw Yohji in the living room on his way up, but was too concerned for Omi's mental health to care. 

He arrived at Omi's room to discover the boy giving his desk the same treatment as he did the computer table downstairs. He watched Omi go through the drawers, pulling them out so forcefully, they almost came out of their compartments.

Finally, there was a cry of triumph. Omi spotted the precious black and white cover that Ken recognized to be the story Omi had been reading for a project. He grabbed it, immediately flipping through the pages so fast, Ken was sure it was going to rip apart at the spine.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Ken dared to ask.

"It's got to be a happy ending… It's a comedy!" Omi continued to rifle through the pages. "Puck had to have found something to cure Demetrius and Lysander! With them both after Helena, they had to have done something to cure them!"

"Wh-what's that got to do with us?" 

"Maybe I could do the same thing! Maybe it washes out with water… Or maybe a blow to the head will knock them back to their senses… Or _something_!!" Omi let out a squeal as he finally stopped on a page, "Here! This is the part where the four lovers left again at Oberon gets mad at Puck for making a mistake."

Ken nodded absently as Omi scanned through a page or two, "And here are his instructions!" He held up the book and read aloud. _"Till o'er their brows death-counterfeiting sleep, With leaden legs and batty wings doth creep: Then crush this herb into Lysander's…"_

Omi trailed off, his eyes widening. "No…" 

"Omi?" Ken asked, moving a little closer. Omi ignored him, his voice beginning to quiver as he skipped a few lines and continued.

_"When they next wake, all this derision,  Shall seem a dream and fruitless vision, And back to Athens shall the lovers…"_

Omi flipped through the pages, his head shaking, his eyes desperate. He scanned through more paragraphs, "Demetrius… _'But by some power it is,--my love to Hermia, Melted as the snow, seems to me now.'_" He mumbled the next few lines before starting again, "_'And all the faith, the virtue of my heart, The object and the pleasure of mine eye, Is only Helena…'_" Omi swallowed."_'To her, my lord.'_"

Before Ken could react, Omi suddenly leapt to his feet, angrily throwing the book across the room.

"O-Omi??"

"No… No no no no!! This is whole load of _bullshit_!!"

"O-Omi…" Ken said slowly, shocked from what Omi had done, and from what Omi had _said. _In all his stay with Omi, he had never thought that the boy could actually use such a word. He tried to step closer to calm his friend. "Omi… What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? What's _wrong_??" Omi half-shrieked. "Shakespeare's crazy!! Do you know what _happened_?!" Ken just stared at Omi blankly, so Omi continued, "You know how he 'cured' Lysander and Demetrius?? He just put the potion on Lysander again!! The ­_same_ potion!!"

"… Oh…" Ken murmured. He tilted his head, "But that doesn't sound so bad."

"Ken-kun, don't you _understand_?! He didn't cure Demetrius!! He was still in love with Helena in the end!!" Ken gave him another blank look, so Omi continued. "The potion, Ken-kun… That idiot Puck put it on Demetrius so that he'd fall in love with Helena because she liked HIM even though he liked Hermia. I don't agree with that of course, I think it's completely moronic!!"

Ken remained to look confused. "What does this have to do with anything?"

But apparently Omi was ignoring him, looking ready to tear up his own room to shreds.

"Idiot idiot idiot! He put it on Lysander instead, so _Lysander _fell in love with Helena… In the end, I thought they were gonna cure everybody but they just USED the DAMN thing again just so that Lysander would fall in love with Hermia all over again and didn't even _think_ to cure Demetrius…

"H-how could Helena be happy like that?? How could she let him stay that way?! This isn't real. It _can't_ be how the play ends!!"

Ken was _still _confused… What was Omi rambling about? It was just a book. A goddamned book. One that he had needed for an assignment for school. What did it have to do with their lives? Much more with their current situation. Of course, that was the same book that Omi had found out what was wrong with everyone, but why was he going on something about some girl named Helena?

Knowing that he was missing something, Ken went over what Omi had been saying again. He processed everything slowly, something about two guys… they… liked one girl? And some idiot fis something magic on them and they fell in love with another girl… who was in love with…

It finally clicked. In the middle of Omi's outbursts, Ken gazed up at him. His lips formed the words to a simple statement, though it was one full of meaning and comprehension.

"You're Helena… Aren't you?"

Omi trailed off. His Ken couldn't see his face, hidden beneath long golden bangs. The boy didn't look up, just standing there, lowering a fist and unclenching it when it was at his side.

Silence hung in the air, before Ken continued.

"You're Helena… That other girl is Aya… and Yohji and… me… are the two guys…… That's why you're…" Ken would have snorted, but he didn't. "This is some fucked up joke! I mean… What's happening to us is exactly what's happening in the book……"

He trailed off, realizing there must be something wrong when he saw Omi trembling a little.

Finally, Omi spoke with vehemence. "Get out…"

"H-huh?"

"Get the HELL out!!" Omi shrieked.

Before Ken knew it, he was hightailing out of the room. He spun around to try to speak one last time to Omi before the latter leapt forward and slammed the door flat on his face.

Ken stared at the wood for a while, shocked at what Omi had just done. What did he do? He had just said that the person in the book was Omi in their real life. It was true, wasn't it? The similarity in the whole affair, and the fact that Omi was way too upset about the book's outcome, was too much to be coincidental.

Maybe Omi was touchy about being associated with a female character and his masculinity was challenged. 

Finally, Ken retreated to his own room, watching Omi's door sadly and hoping the boy was fine.

-----*-----

It was later when Omi peeked through the door to check if Ken had gone. He sighed, opening it and stepping out. He knew he was better, but he had decided that the best course of action was to go back down and try to find out even more about his discovery. Perhaps find something that the others had overlooked. 

As he stepped out into the hallway, he just knew that he was just deluding himself. How was he going to be able to find out more about it? But he didn't want to lose hope. The very fact that Ken had tried to kiss him again, especially after him saying that he wanted Omi happy, made him more determined.

Omi walked down the stairs. He hadn't really _meant _to kick Ken out of his room. But there was so much happening and the fact that Ken had figured it all out made him even more distressed. He was even surprised that the brunette realized what Omi had thought of long before. He definitely hadn't expected _that_ to happen, probably another reason why Omi threw him out. 

But enough of that, he had those records to look at again. As much as he wished he didn't have to look at them, he knew he needed to go and see if he had missed something important. 

He somehow knew he wouldn't find anything. The hopelessness of the situation hung over him, not wanting to let go. He tried to shake it off but it remained. Nothing was going to cheer him up. Frustrated, he just continued and moved through the living room on his way back to the basement. 

Omi stopped and did a double take. The living room was occupied.

Yohji looked like he was normal enough. He was wearing his normal nice pants, an Armani shirt, even a pair of shades perched on his head. He looked as if he should be in the shop, flirting with the girls.

But he wasn't. Instead, here he was, seated in the middle of the living room floor, cross-legged, clutching a canister of ice cream, and munching on it like a girl who had just been dumped.

Kind of like how Omi felt at that moment. 

Images of Ken: Ken's sad face, Ken's guilty eyes, Ken almost kissing him _again_, ran through his mind These images were coupled with his imagined pictures of Hermia, Helena, Demetrius, and Lysander which very oddly resembled caricatures of himself and his teammates, as well as wishes of Shakespeare being brought back to life only to be brutally tortured by knives, probes and tiny sharp objects.

Omi continued to stare at Yohji… 

… and the oh so enticing prize in his hands.

With a soft grumble, he plopped into a position beside the older male. Not bothering to ask for permission, he took the canister from Yohji, found it only half-full, grumbled in disapproval, took the spoon, and began munching on the ice cream, himself.

It took a while before Yohji registered what had happened. He stared blankly into his empty hands, then even more blankly in Omi's direction. He glanced at the canister that Omi was digging into, then glanced at Omi shoveling ice cream into his mouth.

Finally, he stated vacantly. "That's my spoon…"

A loud thunk followed. 

Omi had dropped the spoon back into the ice cream. 

Looking a bit green, he slowly set the canister aside and climbed to his feet.

Yohji watched as he staggered for the kitchen, to retrieve a new _clean_ spoon. After a moment, he returned and settled back in his spot. Yohji handed him back the canister. Omi mumbled a 'Thank you' before continuing to dig in.

They sat in silence until Yohji decided to speak again. 

"Chibi… you know… you have enough baby fat as it is."

Omi shot him a glare and snarled something unintelligible before returning to the prized ice cream. 

"…… What's wrong with you?"

Omi grunted before mumbling more coherently, "Shakespeare's an idiot."

"Aa…" Yohji nodded earnestly. "All poets are, my friend… All poets are…"

-----*-----

"Ha!" 

The blade came down a final time, narrowly missing the side table. Or perhaps it was calculated as such. This was the precision that Aya had with his katana. It was almost an art – No it _was_ an art – his skill in sword fighting.

Of course, practicing this art in one's own bedroom was normally not a good idea. 

But desperate times called for desperate measures. 

Aya could opt to not practice at all. He could read a book, but lately books reminded him of Yohji, and thoughts of Yohji he could definitely do without. He could try to sleep, but he had tried and troubling thought had disturbed him back into consciousness. He could also do something else, but most other things required him leaving the safety of his bedroom.

Above all else, doing his _kata _helped Aya clear his mind. He thought more clearly, or else he didn't think at all. This time, he has quite a number of things to think about.

Normally, however, Aya practiced these _kata_ in the basement. Going down to the basement meant possibly meeting up with Yohji. Yohji, who was hallucinating, spouting nonsense about food and flowers brought together on one dish while he was in bed. And this image was somehow connected to _himself_. Why? Aya didn't know. He doubted he even _wanted _to know. 

Though the point was that something wrong with Yohji, and Aya knew he didn't want to face the man while he was in this delirium.

Why did his thoughts happen to come back to Yohji?

Aya scowled. That scene in the kitchen was _not_ funny. Save for the way that Hidaka was on the edge of death from horror and humiliation, Yohji's speech disturbed him. He replayed the words in his head. 

He called out as he slashed at the air before him twice. He smirked to himself, "Yohji's a bad poet."

Aya wasn't a fan of Shakespeare, and he thought Yohji was even worse than the crazy man.

This insanity had been going on for far too long. Even since before that Schwarz bastard decided to interfere with their lives, when Yohji and Ken were gaga for him. Even before that, to when Yohji was an asshole who liked to tease him by reading ludicrous poetry to him. 

The switch that occurred was doing too much to all of them. Omi was almost always depressed, Yohji was somewhat insane, Ken was surprisingly cheerful, and he himself was losing it.

The events over the past two or so weeks replayed in his mind. From the restaurant and inn, to the next morning when the change in affection had first sprung. From Ken and Yohji courting Omi, to himself accusing them of playing a sick joke, and finding them also lost and confused. From Omi telling them the truth of the matters, to himself being relieved…

Relieved?

Aya faltered a bit and cursed himself. He recomposed himself and restarted his current _kata_. Why relieved? Relieved the two imbeciles weren't playing a joke on Omi? That this was some sick manipulation that Schwarz had imposed upon them? Relieved that what the two men had felt for Omi wasn't real?

_Or maybe just one of the men…_

Aya growled. That was _not_ true. Just because Yohji's affections for Omi were incorrect, it didn't mean that he should care.

_Yohji? Why Yohji?_

"Shut up…" Aya mumbled to the voice in his head. And even as he said it, an image drew itself up from the back of his mind. 

It was the hotel the previous night. He saw what he was seeing at that time… Yohji being very close to Omi. He felt again the seething anger and some small trace of… betrayal?

Betrayal? _Betrayal??_

Aya growled and swung his sword more forcefully than he should have. He tried to calm himself down as the memory continued. He had yelled at Yohji, given him a piece of his mind and more. However, Yohji had stood. He was now with Aya, embracing him, and Aya had done nothing to stop him. 

And Yohji's simple question. "Well then, what's the _real_ reason why you're here?"

And in his mind rang his simple answer. 

The answer that seemed obvious, now that he knew it. With all the emotions running through the house, it seemed only right. With everything that had gone on, he couldn't come up with reasons on why he didn't…

_No…_ Aya growled to himself again. It wasn't obvious… It wasn't even _true._ And it definitely wasn't _right_.

He definitely was not in l-…

"HOLY _FUCKING_ SHIT!!"

The cry had not come from his own lips; in fact, in seemed to have come from the next room. In a moment, Aya realized why. 

He stared in surprise at what had just happened. He cursed under his breath. He had gotten himself distracted; he miscalculated a step. He had moved forward too much, and jabbed his sword too soon.

He took a cautious step backward, letting go of his katana… and perhaps marveling at the sight.

For at that very moment, Aya's sword, the very weapon that had killed hundreds, perhaps even a thousand dark criminals and corrupt men…

… was unceremoniously lodged into the wall, buried halfway deep. 

Aya stared. 

It took several more moments, before it finally registered that there really _had_ been a cry from the adjoining room. 

Had he killed anyone??

The idea was unsettling. If he had killed any of his own teammates, that would not be good with Kritiker. Then, he thought, to _hell _with Kritiker, he'd have the other two members of the group to answer to. It actually drew him into a small panic as he forgot that he had an unofficial authority over the others, not including Omi. He wondered temporarily if it was Yohji he had killed (and if he _wanted_ the man dead or not) before rushing out of the room to the next.

He arrived at the doorway in time to see Ken against the wall, eyes nearly falling out of their sockets, his hand clutching his chest. His breathing was ragged, and he was mumbling nonsense about Omi and 'karma' and katanas and madmen. 

Aya glanced across the room, and resumed staring. On the opposite wall, the wall that separated his room from Ken's, protruded the other end of his katana.

Ken was still clutching his chest, his mumbling going faster, though louder.

"S -standing… o-over th-there and..and  w-worried a-about Omi th-then… then shit... leaned ov-ver there and then the SWORD and.. inches –no- MILLIMETERS from.. from my fucking HEAD!! H-heart attack.. dying.. shit…"

With those words, Ken slumped to the floor, still bug-eyed and still gasping for breath.

Meanwhile, Aya pondered the situation. He took another glimpse at Ken, before taking another long look at the katana; it was almost pointing at him accusingly. 

Aya voiced out the first thought that came to mind.

"How the _hell_ am I going to get it out?"

Ken paused in his heart attack to gape at Aya, "Damnit, Aya! I'm _dying_ here and all you can fucking care about is your _sword_?!"

Aya blankly stared at him. Then he voiced out his second thought, "Oh. So it wasn't Yohji I killed?"

With that final statement from Aya, Ken's eyes seemed to be popping out of their sockets before the man finally fell over and passed out.

Aya stared at Ken a little more. The final thought he merely… thought, as none could hear him.

If Ken really was dead, he was sure to get hell and more from Omi later.

-----*-----

"I feel bloated…" Omi grumbled to himself, patting his stomach as he sat down in the computer chair. _I guess that's what I get for eating half a can of ice cream._

He temporarily wondered if Yohji was feeling the same. After all, the other blonde _had_ been the one who had eaten the first half of that can before Omi had relieved him of it.

He sighed a bit, spinning in his chair once before deciding that he should stop procrastinating and start working. He remembered he had left the window with the file open. He also remembered there was not much left to scroll and Omi had doubted that there was anything to note after that final statement, anyway.

He sighed as he scanned the document again, growling at the last line and going over the formulas. It was a short document. It didn't take long; he stopped when the line that stated there was no antidote appeared at the bottom.

Finding nothing that pleased him, Omi looked again at the file index, trying to see if there could possibly be something related. As he scanned the names and titles, he wasn't sure he _wanted_ to know what the other experiments involved. He took a deep breath, and moved his cursor to click on one of the other titles.

"This is hopeless…" he finally murmured. "I want to help you Ken-kun. But… this is so…"

_~Talking to yourself is unhealthy, Bombay. Haven't your beloved teammates told you that?~_

Omi immediately tensed at the new voice in his mind. He would have gotten up the same way he had done before, but he was too exhausted and frustrated. Instead he just growled, remaining in his chair.

_You're back… What the hell do you want?_

­_~What do I want? Why are you always so presumptuous, young kitten? It's no wonder you hadn't gone and laid your claim on Siberi…~_

"That's none of your business!" Omi snapped. He hadn't meant to say it out loud; he had just forgotten.

_~Oh but it is. See, despite your wonderful suspicions and prejudices against me, I'm actually here to help you with something.~_

At that, Omi dropped his guard a little. He quickly recovered himself, hoping the telepath hadn't noticed his slip, _Help me? What are you playing at, Schwarz?_

_~Ah, see that was the problem… It seems that our dear leader wasn't too pleased with my playi-… What the-…? Schiebe!!~_

Whatever the telepath had meant to say after that was lost in a loud cry and Omi felt something that he assumed was the connection being cut.

Omi blinked. _… Mastermind? Mastermind?! Schuldich?! _

With no response, Omi wondered what in the world could have happened. He jumped out of his chair and ran up the stairs, taking them two steps at a time. He scanned the shop, found nothing, and finally ran outside.

He was greeted with one of the most peculiar sights, one he never thought that he'd see.

Somehow, Yohji had escaped the confines of the living room and was now straddling someone on the sidewalk. His hands were wrapped around what appeared to be a neck, and were shaking the poor man violently. Omi could swear that the man's head was banging against the pavement.

"S… Schuldich??"

"Get this lunatic the hell OFF of me!!" Schuldich screamed in both mental and actual speak.

"Yohji-kun!!" Omi found himself obeying the man as he rushed forward and tried to pry his teammate off.

"Yoooouu!" Yohji slurred as if he were drunk, though Omi knew that he wasn't. "You're the cause of this!! You're the reason I like chibi and not Aya and the reason why I gained a pound or too just now!"

Omi stared, bewildered at how incoherent his eldest friend was being before he finally managed to make Yohji let go of Schuldich. He held the man back before turning to stare at Schuldich in question.

Schuldich cursed something in German as he brushed himself off and glared at Yohji. "_Mein gott! _What is wrong with him?? His thoughts are so fucked up, I hardly felt him coming!"

Omi couldn't help but believe that that was true. After all, it wasn't every day that you could even get close to Schuldich when you had a death threat on your mind.__

"Now where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?" Schuldich sent Yohji another stern glare. 

Omi sighed and looked up, "Yohji-kun. Can you go back inside?"

Yohji looked appalled. "But chibi, I'm not leaving you with the bastard who did serious damage to our love lives."

"Yohji-kun!" Omi groaned, knowing there was no use talking to the older man while he was in this odd state. "I'll be _fine_. I can handle him. Just _go_."

With final glances at both Schuldich and Omi, Yohji reluctantly reentered the flower shop. Schuldich watched, amused. "Getting cocky, Bombay?"

"Mastermind," Omi sighed once more. "If you were here to kill me or hurt me, you would've shown yourself to me instead of tried to talk to me the way you did before Yohji-kun arrived. And you already said you were here to help, though I have no idea how you could."

"Ah, you are fond of your assumptions, aren't you, young chibi?" Schuldich smirked. "But for _once_, you are right. I'm here to help because our oh-so-loved leader was not pleased with what I had done."

"He wasn't?" That was something Omi didn't know if he should believe or not. He didn't know the members of Schwarz very well.

Schuldich waved a hand before straightening his collar, "You see if you'll be pleased with constant headaches. Apparently, something I did resulted in the near future being so fucked up, even Brad Crawford himself has been getting unclear images. So he sent me to fix it and here I am."

Omi narrowed his eyes. "What can _you_ do to fix all this?"

"Ah, I thought I could offer you advice."

"Advice?"

"Oh, don't take me wrong. It won't be much. In fact, you could benefit so much more if I gave you straight information. But…" Schuldich smiled with mischief. "I like playing games, and I'm assuming you're a smart kitty anyway."

"Damnit, Mastermind, just get _on_ with it!"

"An impatient, smart kitty at that. I wonder if Siberian will find you impatient in bed as well."

Omi felt his cheeks grow hot, and he growled. "Say what you wanted or I'll…"

"You'll what? You can't do anything to me." Schuldich glanced at his nails, seeming to delay the moment even further. When he felt that Omi was going to jump him and strangle him as his teammate had done, he finally lowered his hand.

"First, you will find nothing that will help you with the other sick projects that group had done, so don't bother even looking through them unless you have a vomit bag ready."

Omi looked as if he was going to say something in reply, but Schuldich continued, "Second, you need to take a closer look at the file about the love-in-idleness. The information you need about your group's situation is all there.

"Lastly…" he smirked. "Books are fiction, boy."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Omi said, irritatedly.

"Exactly that. Now I need to run. I've taken long enough, and I need to give my beloved leader my report."

Before Omi could stop him, or even _react_, Schuldich had just turned on his heel and left, disappearing into a small crowd. He hadn't even noticed the crowd in the first place. His eyes widened, realizing in alarm that they could have heard him and the telepath speaking. Then, he noticed that noone was paying attention to him; everyone just walked by, as if he and Schuldich hadn't had their conversation.

As Omi stepped back into the Koneko, he wondered briefly if Schuldich made it so that everyone else thought exactly that.

He descended for the computer, replaying Schuldich's 'advice' in his mind. He wasn't supposed to look at the other files; all the information he needed was in already in Experiment 7043. He frowned at the last bit about books being fiction, then shook his head.

He sat back down, gazing at the monitor and closing the window he had opened before Schuldich arrived. He now faced the one about the Love-in-idleness. 

Everything he needed was there. That's what had been said. Omi temporarily wondered if Schuldich was pulling his leg. He wouldn't be surprised if the man was lying after all.

He scanned over the file one more time, his eyes passing over the formulas, the processes of how it was made. Then he glanced back down at the final line. _However… an antidote has yet to be found…_

Omi looked at the formulas once more then narrowed his eyes at the screen.

_Well then… I guess that means that _I'll_ have to be the one to find it._

-----*-----

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	20. Dian's Bud

**Kasra: **I love you *melt* …… um… Ahem… Anyway… Yes, it _is_ remarkable that he considered it. I was trying to go over all the things I learned myself and was blanking out, realizing I probably couldn't make it either, as well as any college newbie or high school student. But Omi's insane. So…… Who knows, nee? Well, actually, _I _do, but I'm not telling yet! NYAH! 

P.S. **Amy**, no telling. We must keep everyone else in suspense, nee? *evil cackle*

Bad news… _ I lost my school bag, in which I had my fic notes for the end of this fic, and some scenes for 3GAG and also notes for LK. For myself, I also lost the practice sketches for the NC-17 KxO dj I promised Aphrael ;_; WAHHH!! 

And no, I didn't lose anything else of value except for my YYH Saikyou CD @_@ 

_Chapter 20 – Dian's Bud_

"Okay…" Omi murmured. "On the count of three… One… Two…"

"THREE!"

With that exclamation, the assassins that made up the rebel group Weiss, the bringers of death to the wicked, white hunters of evil and darkness… 

…worked together to pull Aya's katana out of the wall.

"It's not budging!" Ken announced, though he was still pulling.

Yohji grumbled to himself, "I have better things to do with my time."

"Speak for yourself!" Omi muttered. "I still have an antidote to create…"

Aya just grunted, finding nothing more to say. Finally they all let go, and stepped back, staring at the hilt that protruded from the wall that separated Ken's and Aya's rooms.

"Now what?" 

"We can keep it there…"

"What?! NO way am I going to let that thing stay there! I happen to live on the side with the SHARP end!!"

"Well, we can put the sheath on it, so you don't accidentally get your head cut off."

"Thanks a _lot_, Yohji."

"How'd this even happen?" Omi asked, looking up at their fiery haired teammate.

Yohji sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair. "Yeah, Aya… What the hell were you thinking sticking your sword into the wall like that?"

Aya stared at all of them. Then finally said one single word.

"You."

Omi blinked.

Ken's eyes grew large.

Yohji's scowl disappeared and faded quickly into a look of utmost terror as he looked at Aya, and looked back at the sword, currently lodged in the wall.

Somehow, the thought did not comfort him.

"Um…" he coughed nervously. "Omi! S-so… How do you plan on making this cure?"

Omi blinked, then glanced at Aya, and quickly realized that Yohji was trying to change the subject. He took the hint and nodded, "Oh! It's actually not too complicated! See, I realized in the original formula, the love in idleness one, that it had some sort of stimulant. Apparently it incites the pituitary gland to make you produce more testosterone."

Everyone stared blankly.

"Uh… testosterone…" Omi glanced at everyone, gesturing. When he still didn't get a response, he continued. "The hormone that makes you sex-crazy?" 

Ken blinked. "I thought that it just made you…" he trailed off, realizing he didn't exactly know where that sentence was going. Then he snickered. "Wait.. It makes you _what_? That means Yohji's got a lot of it."

"Speak for yourself, pervert…"__

Omi sighed. "It's dominant in men, but women also have it."

"They do?!" Both men chorused in disbelief. Even Aya turned away from his katana to stare at Omi.

"Well, it _does_ control libido. If both sexes didn't have it, I suppose noone would be having…" Omi paused, suddenly staring at them. "This is weird. I'm the one giving _you_ guys sex ed."

Yohji suddenly coughed, and waggled his eyebrows. "Well, Omi… If you want a different kind of… a-_hem_… sex ed."

Ken's eyes enlarged, "Yohji!!!" 

"Y-Yohji-kun!!" Omi cried, color rising to his cheeks.

Aya scowled a bit, then returned to glaring at his katana.

"U-umm…" Omi stammered. "G-going on, it… It also uses the concept of pheromones."

When he received blank stares again, he sighed. "You guys really didn't learn any of this, did you?" he groaned silently. "In theory, pheromones are what makes you attracted to somebody. Some chemical a person gives off makes people like them, I think. I don't know exactly how the details go, but somehow, you guys are reacting to _my_ pheromones."

There was silence.

"That sounds kind of perverted," Ken said.

Omi started rubbing at his temples, feeling a headache coming along. "In the book, you react to whoever you see first. I think that this formula tried to use the same concept, but actually, I'm assuming it's who you were in close vicinity to after you wake up. And I woke both of you up that morning after."

"Wait!" Yohji interrupted. "So, why wasn't it Aya? I was in the same room as him."

"I think Aya-kun was already outside before I woke you up." 

Aya nodded his agreement, still glaring at his sword. The others wondered if perhaps he was planning to glare it out of the wall.

"Aya-kun… We _are_ getting it out."

"Maybe we can break it?"

Aya glared at Ken. Ken gulped and shut up.

"I think I'd prefer the sword to _stay _there in the meantime."

The glare was turned on Yohji. He ignored it. "Hey, Omi. Now that you know how that stuff works, have you actually started _making your cure?" _

"Just barely. I'm supposed to make the…" Omi paused, then glanced at a clock. "Oops! I have to get back to it!" Before anyone could protest, he had already zipped out of the room. 

"Heeyy!! Omiii!!" Ken yelled after him. 

"Bye guys! Good luck with the sword!!"

"And the chibi bishounen abandons us," Yohji said amusedly.

Ken nodded with a sigh, plopped to the floor, and resorted to staring at the sword. Maybe with the forces of him and Aya combined, it really would come out with its own accord. 

On the other hand, Yohji was staring at the sword, hoping it would _stay_ there. Besides, if it stayed there, he'd find himself on the other end a lot less frequently. 

Ken wanted the sword to come out, or at the very least turn around. He had a vision of himself sleeping-walking and accidentally impaling himself on the blade.

Yohji was wishing that the sword would dig itself deeper in. He could already see it wriggling in, like a scarab in flesh. Then he temporarily wondered where that particular metaphor came from.

Ken started to wonder that if they all stared enough, the sword would come out and start dancing.

Yohji had a sudden vision of the sword suddenly popping out of the wall, then 'standing' up, sticking out a tiny tongue and blowing raspberries at him before hurtling in his direction.

Ken imagined the sword with a tiny top hat and a cane, singing old Western songs. 

Yohji realized that a sword doesn't have a tongue so it can't blow raspberries it him. Instead, it would just fly to Aya's hand, then _Aya_ would blow raspberries at him before running and lunging.

Wait a minute, Aya blowing raspberries?… He snickered at the image.

"Hey!" Ken suddenly cried. "I got it now! Maybe, instead of pulling it out, we can just push it in deeper until it's all the way through, then sheathe it on the other side!"

There was a long silence. The other two looked away from the sword, and stared at him instead.

Ken scratched his head, "Oh wait… I could still poke my eyes out…. But at least I can't kill myself!"

Yohji groaned, then crossed his arms, an amused look on his face. "Yeah. If you died, that would be too bad, wouldn't it? You'll just give Omi another reason to cry."

It was an angry stab into Ken's chest that hurt much worse than any katana that Aya could wield. His lips curled up into a snarl, and he growled.

"Say that again, you bastard?"

Yohji looked surprised, realizing his teasing had backfired on him. He scowled. "Well, it's true isn't it? You've never looked around you carefully before, did you? You don't see when Omi cries over you."

Ken's eyes widened then sharpened in anger. "What the _fuck _are you talking about?!"

Yohji flipped it off like he was talking about yesterday's news. "Sa… Were you so busy chasing around whatever that looked new and exotic you didn't know what you had all along?" He turned to Ken with a smug smirk. "And now Omi's downstairs doing what he can to keep YOU off him."

Ken felt a fist clench. Yohji was driving the knife deeper, twisting it as he went on. The delight he had taken in the earlier insanities flew out the window. It replaced itself with all the regret, anger, and frustration that he had kept since that morning. The same feelings he had been trying to cover with a coat of his old cheeriness surfaced again and hit him harder than before.

He struggled to control himself, but still he shook with emotion.

"Yohji… What goes on with me 'n Omi is _not _your business…"

"Of course it is. It's my business because you didn't know that all along, you were hurting the chibi. God, Ken… Do you know how it felt to see him crying over you on the way home last night?"

Aya watched the two of them, his face expressionless and his eyes hard.

Ken snarled again, "Bastard. You don't think it hurts _me _too?? And besides, you only feel like that for Omi now because of that damned potion."

Yohji's eyes narrowed. "Shouldn't you say the same for yourself?"

Something just snapped. Before Ken knew it, he had let out a scream of rage and leapt up, his fist itching to plant itself into Yohji's face.

Unfortunately, there was a flash of red as his path was blocked.

"Get the _hell _out of my way, Aya!!" Ken shrieked. "I'll kill him!! I swear I'll kill him!!"

Aya shot him a warning glance. "Not in my room. Either you stop and shut the hell up, or the two of you get outside and kill each other."

Ken struggled again to regain his composure. His hands were itching for Yohji's blood, but he felt he'd get into a lot more trouble if Aya hadn't stopped him. 

Still, he kind of like the thought of having Yohji's throat break in his hands.

Disgruntled, Ken plopped onto the ground and returned to glaring at the katana.

"And here I thought Aya was saving me." Yohji sighed and casually sat down on the bed. Noone was occupying it then so he figured it wouldn't hurt anyone. However, Aya noticed from the corner of his eye and glowered at him a little. 

Yohji raised an eyebrow, and took the glower as a signal to stretch lazily and lie back, as if he owned the bed. Ken looked at Yohji and wondered when exactly Yohji wanted to die. If not by his own hands, by Aya's if he kept this up. Ken'll gladly help him.

Aya's eyes had narrowed. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Yohji squirmed around the bed until he was properly settled. "Making myself comfortable, thank you."

"And since when did you think you can get comfortable in MY room?"

Ken was distracting himself with the katana. They had to get it out. Somehow. That way both he and Aya can kill Yohji.

Yohji smiled. "Ever since you became comfortable with barging into my room anytime you wanted something to read. I'm sure you didn't even mind the fact that I sleep naked. Of course not. You just wanted an excuse to ogle me didn't you?" he teased.

Aya's eyes narrowed. "I told you to get the hell out."

"Naw… You said we could stay as long as we don't kill each other. Ken doesn't seem to want to anymore, see?"

"Pull something like you did earlier and I'll kill you right now…" Ken snarled.

"Besides, I didn't mind it before when you sat down on my bed looking through my books." 

The scowl on the redhead's face deepened.

Yohji continued in Aya's silence. "It was quite nice company wasn't it? You'd sit down and we'd talk, and sometimes you'd even stretch across my feet and fall asleep... JUST... like... that."

There was a snicker from the floor, and what sounded like words, but Yohji dismissed the sounds. He smiled. "You'd sleep just like some cat who found a comfortable patch, and not caring even if I was naked under the covers."

A sound came from Aya's direction, sounding like a mix between a growl, a whimper and an angry sneer. Yohji smirked wider.

It took a while, but then Ken suddenly realized that he was now being ignored. Yohji paid no heed to that last nasty remark he had just made. He also hadn't reacted to the earlier comment about Yohji's death. He remembered that something similar to this happened just that morning. He was quite glad that this time he wasn't experiencing it with Yohji on his lap. Then again, if Yohji was on his lap this time, he'd be finding claws in his gut.

Yohji was definitely NOT hearing Ken, anyway. He snuggled onto Aya's bed while staring lazily at Aya glaring at him with a clenched fist. Yohji sighed, and laid there limply, as if Aya was not standing there shaking in frustration. "It wouldn't be so bad if I just at least get into this bed ONCE, ne, AYA? After all those times you've slept in mine."

Aya twitched several times, but still he kept his ground.

Ken fidgeted, suddenly feeling quite out of place. He temporarily wondered if he should go down and help Omi instead. Then he realized that if Omi was dealing with chemicals he didn't understand, he'd probably end up more trouble than help.

Aya continued to twitch uncontrollably. He was struggling with himself, but he knew it wasn't going to take much. One more word from Yohji and he was going to…

On the bed, Yohji smirked, then grabbed Aya's pillow and buried his face in it.

There was a sudden loud angry growl, and then the sound of wood snapping. Ken yelled in surprise and fear, jumping up from the floor, staring in horror and the gaping hole between this room and his own. Yohji looked up from the pillow in time to see Aya stalking menacingly toward the bed, katana in his hand, eyes almost glowing red.

Yohji eeped, and began to scramble back as Aya raised the sword above his head. 

"KUDOU!! SHI-…………"

[BOOM!]

His yell was interrupted by a sudden loud explosion.

Aya's eyes widened and the katana lowered. Yohji peeped from underneath Aya's pillow to stare at everyone. Ken's scared expression turned away from the wall and to the door. It was his voice that spoke.

"Omi…"

They all looked each other, then ran downstairs. Had they been discovered? Was Schwarz attacking? Would they find the shop surrounded? Aya was still carrying the katana, Yohji preparing the wire he always kept with him. Ken didn't have time to grab his own weapon, and instead was praying in his head that Omi was alright. 

When they arrived, in the shop they found nothing. Aya looked towards the other two and motioned with his fingers. He pointed to the spiral stairs that led into the basement. Yohji grimaced and Ken's heart sank. That was where Omi was.

They all crept down, prepared for an attack at any moment.

However, the sight that awaited them was not one they had expected.

The sofa had been pushed aside a little, as were the other chairs, to clear room for Omi's work. In the middle of the room was a long table covered in flasks, beakers, test tubes racks and holders, evaporating dishes, watch glasses, and two alcohol burners. An iron ring with gauze wire was over one burner, on which a beaker with clear liquid boiled pleasantly. There were also several bottles of reagents and chemicals, all labeled with scientific name and chemical formula. 

As they stared in awe, they wondered how the hell Omi managed to smuggle the equipment into the basement in the first place. None of them had seen him bring them down there and just that morning the room had been clear of all of it. 

Their thoughts were cut short when Ken looked to the side and let out a yell. "Omi!"

Omi himself was sprawled on the floor near the stairs, looking as if he had been knocked unconscious. His hair was in more disarray than usual and the front of his shirt was black, as was his face. A dropper lay a few inches away from one hand. 

It suddenly came clear to them, what had happened. 

"Omi?!"

Omi's eyes slowly opened, blinking wide blue eyes which were framed by black soot. Both Ken and Yohji were suddenly struck with utter cuteness before concern took over again.

"Omi!! Are you okay?!"

Omi blinked, then lifted his hand and showed them a clear blue liquid in a flask.

"Is… that?" 

"… the antidote?" 

Omi blinked a few more times, then smiled. "I call it Dian's Bud."

-----*-----

Yohji fidgeted uncomfortably. "You're gonna put the stuff in my _eyes_?!"

Omi sighed. "Well, for the two formulas to react and cancel each other out, I need to put it the same place the love-in-idleness was before. And then you gotta sleep."

"Why do I have to sleep?"

"Because the book said so."

Yohji stared.

Omi rolled his eyes. "Yohji-kun, what do you think of me? It's because I don't know how long it'll take for the formula to take effect, so I'm thinking it'll be best to let it sit overnight. Besides… they original formula was like that. Maybe the REM during sleep helps spread the formula or something."

"Err… Okay…" The blonde continued to stare at the blue liquid uneasily. He definitely didn't want that in his eyes. But if this was what was going to get him cured…

He sighed and laid on his back.

"That's better." Omi took the dropper he had from earlier, put some of the antidote he made into it. 

Yohji cracked one eye open. "Are you sure that thing's not going to make me blind?"

"I tried it, Yohji-kun. It's safe." 

It was over and done with quickly. Yohji winced at the uncomfortable feel. It was like eye medicine. Omi straightened and began packing up his things.

"Okay, I gotta go do Ken-kun now. You try to sleep soon, okay?"

After he nodded, Omi left for Ken's room. As soon as he was gone, Yohji sat up, shook his head, cleared his eyes and spotted another figure at the door. 

"Uh. How long were you there?"

Aya raised an eyebrow, "I came in with Omi, baka."

Yohji fidgeted. "Are you here to kill me?"

"I'm here to make sure Omi does his job and cures you."

"So, you're not killing me?"

Aya continued the piercing look before turning and leaving. Yohji laid himself back down and groaned, almost certain that when he woke up, he was going to find a katana at his throat. Hell, he suspecting he wouldn't even _have_ a throat anymore.

As he drifted off to sleep, it only struck him then that Aya had indirectly said he wanted Yohji cured.

-----*----- 

"Really, Ken-kun. It's all right. I already put some on Yohji and he's still okay. He's asleep now, actually."

Ken still looked uncomfortable. He glanced nervously at Omi, at the flask, and at the dropper Omi held in his hand. It was a horrid notion, thinking that his best friend was about to put an unknown liquid into his eyes.

"H-how do I know it's not going to burn my eyes out?

"It's not acid, Ken-kun."

"Still!"

Omi sighed. "Ken-kun, would you rather _not_ be cured?"

Ken didn't answer. Somehow he thought that any answer he wanted to give Omi wouldn't be taken happily. Yet, Omi seemed to understand, because his face turned a little sad. 

"Ken-kun. I have to. I-if I don't…"

"… Yeah I know," Ken whispered, remembering Yohji's words from earlier. Unlike what the ass said, Ken didn't want to give Omi another reason to cry. But this was a no-win situation. Either way was going to leave Omi sad. 

"… Ken-kun."

Omi watched as Ken laid down. "Do it."

He gave Ken a sad smile, before leaning over him and repeating what he had done in the other room. After, he put away the equipment and started to stand.

He paused as he felt Ken's hand on his wrist. 

"… hai?"

"Omi… I… Can I… I mean… Tomorrow…" He took a deep breath. "Whatever happens, happens… okay? What I said today… I'm keeping to that, no matter what."

"…………………Good night, Ken-kun. I'll see you in the morning."

After Omi disappeared from the room, Ken turned over, staring blankly at his bedside table. Somehow, he felt he had just made Omi sad again. Yohji was right. He couldn't do anything but make Omi cry.

He closed his eyes softly, and tried to force himself to sleep, no matter how awful he felt. 

He wondered if it would be true. If when they woke up in the morning, he and Yohji would be cured, and everything would go back to the way they were before. Ken somehow knew that nothing would be the same again. 

Yet, all they could do now was wait and see.

-----*-----

Sempai has an affinity for making scenes that get Yotan killed by his own teammates.

Dian's Bud is the name of the antidote in the book… as Amy told me long ago.

I still have about 4-5 chapters more to go, depending on how I deal with everything.

omiclones@hotmail.com 


	21. Talk to Me

NOPE! I'm not dead yet! Barely alive, but not dead yet!

**Violettegal345: **I hereby reassure you and everyone right now that no matter how long it might take me to update, I will _never_ abandon this fic. I love it too much to do so. I will see it to the end, which is near.

**Black Mirror:** XD yes, I'm quite proud of you. And yes. Omi rules the anime universe *melt*

**annakas:** Hm. As I mentioned previously, ideas for the fic come from either my own demented brain or my sempai's. I'd list to you all which ideas belonged to who, but that would make a long list. Maybe I should do it sometime and post it with the epilogue.

Midsummer's first birthday happened in December. Wow. I can't believe I started it more than a year ago O.o To celebrate that, and to compensate _once again_ for a long delay (I'm blaming school, which hated both of us this term, and Hunter x Hunter *huggles Kurapika, before glomping Gon, Killua and Leorio too*), I have a really, really long update here. More than four months delay? Four times as long chapter! 

Enjoy.

Chapter 21 – Talk to Me 

His eyes felt sticky.

That was the first thought in Ken's mind when he woke up that next morning. He groaned to himself, trying to rub out the gunk. He wondered for a moment what state he must've fallen asleep in to make his eyes feel like that in the first place.

Ken suddenly sat up, eyes snapping wide open.

The potion.

The antidote.

Memories of what had happened slowly came back to him. Omi came up with something and tried to cure him and Yohji. They'd fallen asleep with this 'Dian's Bud' antidote and waking up the next day, they should be cured of any infatuation for the youngest Weiss member. 

…… So why did he feel no different?

His heart and mind raced. He should be back to liking Aya. But he wasn't. He instead tried to bring up an image of Omi and, without even a thought, it brought a smile to his face. 

He made it fall as he groaned and shook his head. "No! No!! NO!!" 

This was wrong! Omi'd cured them!! He'd tried to come up with some sort of cure for them from the procedures he'd found from those files. Then, with mental power many people thought Ken didn't possess, he came to the only conclusion.

It didn't work.

Ken's heart sank. After all their trust and confidence in Omi's work, to have it fail just like this?! It was an anti-climax… one that would once again hurt the young blonde. With that thought, his heart ached even more. Omi had counted on this. Having it blow up in his face could crush him.

But why didn't it work? Omi'd followed the instructions, made a few modifications…

… Did he end up with the same thing? 

Ken felt sick. He remembered the book that Omi kept comparing themselves to. That one girl was loved by both, then the other girl was the center of attention because of some idiocy. Then in the end, it had just been done again, so that the one the girl actually liked would still like her back. Ken's thoughts gave him a brief headache. Once it cleared, though, he felt worried. Was that what happened here?

Suddenly, Ken was uneasy to go outside. If he was going to fall in love with whoever he saw first, that would be even more trouble. And he wasn't even sure he wanted to go through all this again, with a different love. Truth be told, he still wanted Omi…

_…… That's it! Omi!_

Ken leapt from the bed and tried to get dressed. If he got out there and tried to see Omi first… and Omi thought that they were cured, then maybe… Maybe Omi would think…

It was a dirty scheme, that was for sure. But he wanted to see Omi smile again. 

As soon as he tugged on a clean shirt, he raced out the room to find his friend. Of course, things don't always go according to plan, because as soon as he had left the door, he plowed straight into another body.

"K'sou!" Ken immediately swore, and his eyes glanced up to scan whoever it was who dared interfere.

Yohji.

All at once, his face began to heat up. His body tensed all over, his senses suddenly all alert. His heart pounded fast and loud in his chest, and it was hard to breathe.

Yohji glanced back at him. From the look on his face, he was feeling the same way.

For a brief moment, they only looked at each other, neither breaking the silence.

Finally, Ken opened his mouth to speak…

-----*-----

"Nee, Aya-kun?"

Aya looked up with a raised eyebrow, acknowledging his younger companion.

Omi looked worried, once again appearing to not have gotten much sleep. Still, his face showed the little hope that he had. "Do you think… that Yohji-kun and… and Ken-kun are okay?"

The redhead had no answer for him, mostly because he couldn't think to raise the boy's hopes, or to crush them with whatever he _could_ say. Omi accepted the silence with a sigh. He was about to ask about another thing when they heard it upstairs.

"Temee yoooo!!"

Omi paused, staring at the ceiling. "Anou. That's… Ken-kun."

"Aa." Aya nodded.

"Ow! Fuck! Ken!! What the hell is your problem?!"

"…… And that's… Yohji-kun."

"Aa." A glare came to Aya's face as he glanced up as well.

"Um. I guess… it's safe to assume they're awake?"

"Aa." 

Omi scowled and put his hands on his hips as Aya looked back to his mug. "Really, Aya-kun. It's always nice talking to you." He winced as his voice was drowned out by more yelling upstairs.

"My problem is _you_, Kudou!! Why do you always try to trip me up?!!"

"Trip you up? What the fuck did I do to you this time?! Don't tell me you had some incredible scheme cooked up?!"

There was silence after. It was either because they'd stopped arguing, or Ken had calmed down and decided to tell Yohji in a lower voice. 

"Ken, that's the stupidest thing I'd ever heard!"

… Obviously, now, it was the latter. Omi sighed and got up to retrieve a glass of water.

"Well, what do you think I _can_ do?? I don't want to lose him!!"

"Oh right. So says the guy who chases down anything pretty."

"_You're _the fucking playboy!"

The voices were coming closer. Aya and Omi looked at each other in confusion.

"I haven't done that in months!"

"Really? Aren't you some kind of _expert _on lying to people, then making them cry, and breaking their hearts?"

They were getting closer to the kitchen as the seeming argument grew even more heated.

"WHY don't YOU take a good look around, if YOU think you're so observant…Tell me… Who's the one crying and heartbroken now?!" 

There was a brief silence.

"God, Ken!! Why don't you open your eyes a little wider? _That's_ the damned reason why you never realized Omi had this crush on you!"

"I… I didn't realize! I didn't think of him that way because he's _my friend_, so I didn't SEE it! I'm sorry! _I didn't know!_ Why are you blaming me, dammit?!"

"I don't want to! But if you're going to be such a damn idiot then why don't I pound it in your head?!"

"Fuck!! Yohji!! Why is this all _me _now?! Who are _you _really in love with, anyway?!!"

Aya suddenly started coughing. Omi spun around, wide-eyed, and discovered that he had started choking on his water.

"I… Err… ahh…" There was a lot of sputtering going on outside as well. Finally, Yohji's voice reaffirmed itself. "That's not the point right now!" 

Aya's face turned dark and indifferent seconds before it disappeared behind a newspaper. Omi could find no other action other than to stare.

"Isn't it? If I remember right, there was another victim to this stupid love thing."

"Right… The 'love thing'. Which Omi wanted to cure us of. Which goes back to you're not going to do that bullshit you're talking about."

"I already said I won't do it! But what do you _want_ me to do?!"

"Tell him, you lousy idiot!!"

"But that'll break him!"

"Ken, you'll break him thrice as much if you lead him on and he finds out the truth! I'm not going to let you do that! If you're not going to tell him it didn't work, then I will!"

There was a sudden crashing sound. Both men stopped and looked up. They'd made it to the kitchen. In fact, they were standing right outside of it. 

Omi stood there, the broken pieces of glass at his feet. His eyes were wide as he gazed at them. Behind him a newspaper shifted uncomfortably, but otherwise no other sound was heard.

Finally, Omi spoke in a soft, quivering voice.

"I-it didn't work?"

Ken was already moving toward him before he paused, "Omi… I…" he swallowed and looked down. "How much did you hear?"

"All of it, you idiots. You could be heard throughout the house!" Omi's gaze turned cold. "How… how could you think of not telling me? Do you think I'm stupid, Ken-kun?!"

"No! Of course you're not! At… At least you tried to do something!"

"Well, look where it put us now!"

"It was… We really didn't know what would happen!"

"So that means, apparently, that I botched something up! Why… Why did I even bother?! Nothing _I_ can do will fix this!"

Ken was at a loss for words as Omi shook his head in his grief. It was Yohji who cut in softly, "Omi. Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault that this happened to us. Just because you're team leader, or maybe because you're the center of everything right now, you don't have to take responsibility for everything that happens. Besides… noone's perfect…"

At the kitchen table, the newspaper suddenly lifted itself higher, shielding itself from everyone else. 

Omi didn't reply. Instead, he murmured softly, staring at the floor.

"…… Ken-kun… So… You're still… You're still in love with me?!"

"…………" Ken hung his head. "… Yes."

Omi plopped into a chair, groaning. He buried his face in his hands, "It really didn't work, did it…?"

"… I guess it didn't." Ken admitted. "I… In fact I thought that it was like that book you read, and you did the same thing to us by accident. So when we wake up, whoever we see first will be some new love interest."

"…… That sounds like it could be right."

"Yeah, but then I saw Yohji right away, and I still hate his existence."

Yohji scoffed. "The feeling is mutual."

"Then… Why would Ken-kun still be the same?" He looked up at Yohji. "… What about you?"

The blonde thought for a moment. He shrugged. "I feel fine, the same I did last night after you left. Actually, I slept fine, even though I was thinking that Aya was waiting there to kill me after I fell asleep."

Something inside Omi clicked. "Aya-kun was there?"

"Yeah, he actually was there before I fell asleep."

Omi leapt to his feet and turned to the newspaper in the corner of the kitchen. The newspaper seemed to realize it was being watched, and lowered itself to reveal Aya's face. 

"Aya-kun!! How could you?!"

Yohji and Ken almost fell over. 

"Ahaha. I was wondering about that newspaper…"

"So, he was there all this time?"

"Do you realize what you could've done?! Everything could possibly have gone wrong thanks to what you did!"

Aya blinked in surprise. "What?"

"If this was some large experiment, you were the variable that went wrong! What if… What if everything went wrong because you were in Yohji-kun's room? What if… What if Ken-kun was right and I made the same thing?!" 

They all glanced at each other as Omi continued.

"I… What if I was wrong and there was no need for sleep? What if it works as soon as it's put in? Or as soon as you rub it in or something? Now we don't know for sure, because Aya-kun was there!"

There was a little silence.

"You know," Yohji said softly. "He's right. I mean, I don't feel like that about Omi anymore."

"You don't?" Omi gasped softly.

"Uh. Yeah."

"So… it's whoever you see clearly, after the potion sets in," Omi concluded. "Even… now."

Aya wasn't listening. He was staring at Yohji as if he were the most disgusting living thing on the planet. Yohji noticed.

"… Aya."

But Aya didn't hear any of it. He had already stood and without a word, left the kitchen. Yohji cursed under his breath and took chase. "Aya!!"

Omi watched after them, then looked down at the floor.

"… Omi, I…"

"Don't _say_ it, Ken-kun."

"But, Omi, I… we need… I think we need to talk."

"…… No, Ken-kun. Not now."

With that said, Omi left the kitchen.

-----*-----

Omi found himself in the den, in one of the side chairs. He curled himself up into a ball, as if trying to hide if Ken decided to come into the room.

_Why? Why is it like this? Why can't things go back to normal?_

But Omi knew that it can't go back to normal. They all knew about Omi's feelings. Ken will always feel guilty, he'll always try to make Omi feel right again. But it won't be right.

He hunched over, _Ken-kun… Why did this have to happen? I was content being your friend. I didn't mind watching you without touching. It hurt sometimes, but then the pain was still bearable. Now…_

Now… He couldn't even bear to be in the same room as Ken. It was horrible. Omi groaned into his arms. This wasn't what he wanted. He never wanted anything like this. He wanted everyone around him to be happy. He was content, being the one who hurt, and never wanted anyone else to hurt. Ken needed to understand that. 

_That's right. Ken-kun needs to know. Maybe I _should _go and talk to hi-_

"Aiy wai won yuu tok to me?"

Omi twitched. That was Yohji's voice. He glanced up behind the chair in alarm, but there was noone there. 

He raised an eyebrow and groaned. "It was just my imagination."

He settled back into the chair and was about to mope a little more when a figure appeared before him. 

Omi jumped in his seat. "A-aya-kun?!"

But Aya paid him no heed, just walking past. Omi only had a few seconds to blink when Yohji suddenly passed by, hot on his tail. He had something stuffed in his mouth, the remnants of something edible in one hand, and a plate of doughnuts in the other. 

"C'mn Ayaaa! Wuujuu justop an listen?"

Omi blinked a few more times. Then even more, as they came around the living room once more before him.

"Aya!!"

They were behind him again. Omi went dot-eyed, turning his head to watch them, then slowly returning to his original position as they circled back in front of him.

On the fourth or fifth time of this, he cracked.

"WILL YOU TWO STOP IT!!!" Omi screamed. He leapt to his feet and ran out to escape them. 

His room. He'll be safe in his room. He can brood without them bothering him. And there he fled.

He locked the door as soon as he had reached his refuge. It was after he had tackled his bed when he picked up where he had left off. But he had barely gotten his thoughts settled on everything, there was a thumping up the stairs.

"Wairyu alwez runingahay?!" Kami-sama, he should stop talking with something in his mouth, it was murdering his ears.

"AHYAA!!!"

Omi's eyes popped open. There was a stomping outside past his door, then the sound of another door slamming, not too far away.

God no. They were upstairs.

Omi grabbed his pillow and buried his head underneath it. He wailed softly when there was a pounding sound coming from that direction. Aya must have locked his door too.

"AYA!! Open UP!!"

Well at least, whatever Yohji was eating was out of his mouth. Still Omi couldn't think. Finally he jumped out of the bed, opened his door, tore past Yohji (who had stopped and stared after him before going back to bothering Aya), and escaped back downstairs.

Omi didn't care where he ended up; he let his feet take him. So he didn't mind at all when he found himself back in the kitchen. He panted, leaning over the counter, hand over his chest as he struggled to catch his breath.

Just as he was about to straighten, and continue his Ken-related angst, he heard a dull thud outside in the alley. He glanced up, through the window, and stared in horror.

Aya had stood up, and was gingerly brushing himself off. He glanced at Omi, then came back into the house through the back door beside him. As soon as he closed the door, he locked it, took another glance to Omi, and left. Omi soon heard the sound of a door, maybe upstairs, slamming. 

Before Omi was even able to recover, he looked back outside to witness Yohji leaping down from above. 

Omi stared blankly as Yohji brushed himself off, though he had an odd expression on his face as if he had forgotten something. That's when Omi realized he was still carrying that damned plate. He was about to scold Yohji for disturbing everyone's peace, not to mention possibly breaking their dinnerware, when Yohji looked up. Omi paused, and couldn't help following his gaze.

There was a lone doughnut falling from the sky.

Omi sweatdropped.

Yohji muttered a curse under his breath, reached out his plate, and (to Omi's confused amazement) caught it. He reached out with his other hand. He wiggled his fingers, grabbed it, and stuffed into his mouth.

Suffice to say, Omi was in utter shock. 

Yohji moved for the door, and tried the knob. He frowned and finished the final doughnut, swallowing it. He looked up and spotted Omi at the window.

"Hey! Omi! Can you open the door for me?! Oh, and I'll put the plate in the sink if you want. I know how you want Ken's kitchen to be neat."

Omi continued to stare, then finally slumped forward over the counter. 

-----*-----

It was much later when Omi had escaped to the basement. First of all, if Aya still was around (maybe he had left so that Yohji wouldn't follow him), he definitely wouldn't go down to the mission room, seeing as there was no escape aside from the spiral stairs.

Second…… Omi glanced with a groan at all the chemistry equipment he had down there. He had gotten enough to fill two parallel long tables. That was how much he had needed to make his antidote. His failed antidote.

There was no use. He sighed, as he set out to start clearing out everything.

"Hey…"

Omi almost choked. 

"What…" he tried to clear his throat. "What are you… doing here, Ken-kun?"

Ken came nearer, standing next to him. "Can I help with that?"

There was a long silence. Omi didn't respond at first, then after a moment's thought, he nodded, stepping to the side to give him room. Ken smiled a little. He complied, standing next to Omi and started clearing away the glassware.

They worked without speaking. Neither had anything to say. Or rather, they felt they didn't know _what_ to say.

A voice eventually lingered into the quiet.

"I'm sorry… if it seemed I was mad at you…" Omi said softly. 

"No, it's no problem. I should be the one sorry, actually. You and Yohji are both right. It was a stupid idea."

"…… At least you meant well."

"But I shouldn't try to go about it the way that I thought about."

Omi nodded, and silence befell them once more. They'd almost completely cleared one of the two parallel tables when Ken spoke again.

"Um… Sorry again."

"What for this time?"

"Sorry… it didn't work."

There was a small choking sound, then a sudden sound of glass breaking. Ken looked up in alarm. Omi was trembling. He had turned away from Ken, but the older could see he was clutching his own hand.

"Omi…?" Ken reached over to take his arm. Omi refused to move, but after a little coaxing, he finally turned to reveal his bloodied fingers.

"Omi…" Ken said again, reaching over to take some tissue. He began to clean up the blood, checking the cuts that Omi had just given himself.

"I'm sorry……" Omi whispered. "I'm… I'm just clumsy."

Ken smiled as he wrapped the hand gently. "And people say _I'm_ the clumsy one."

"I'm sorry…" Omi repeated, his shoulders shaking a little.

"At least you're all right. I don't think you have any shards in your hand." Ken touched Omi's face with his other hand. "Chin up, 'mittchi!"

Omi hesitated, but the hand tilted his face up gently. Ken's heart ached when he saw the tears.

"Omi… Omi don't cry. I _hate _it when you cry."

Omi shook his head, closing his eyes. "I-I'm trying to stop. I c-can't. I'm… I'm such a weakling."

"No. God, no, Omi! You're far from a weakling. You're way stronger than any of us!" Ken moved his hand to wipe the tears away. "It'll be okay. We'll work things out!"

"When, Ken-kun? When?! I-I…" he sobbed softly. "I've been trying so hard, looking everywhere, just trying to get things back to normal, but I can't. I don't think I ever will be able to!"

"Like Yohji said… Noone's perfect."

"Everyone else thinks I should be." 

"No we don't! Omi, you're human! You make mistakes just like the rest of us! And we know that!" 

"Ken-kun…"

"You know what, Omi? Don't think about us, right now. You always think about me, and Yohji, and Aya. What about you? When do you ever think about yourself?"

Omi was quiet, once more looking down. Ken paused, "Omi?"

"I… you. More than anything… I want… us… but…"

"…… But?"

"b-but…" Omi didn't finish the sentence. He looked up into Ken's face. Ken was watching him intently, the pads of his fingers sliding up to gently wipe at Omi's tears.

Before any of the two could react, Ken slowly lowered his face and let their lips meet. 

Omi gasped, his eyes wide as he moved his hands to push him away, but Ken held him fast, slowly deepening the kiss. His knees went weak, his mind getting foggy. It didn't take long at all, before his eyes closed against his will, and he began to respond to Ken's kisses. 

He felt Ken gently push him backward. He complied, stumbling a little over his own feet, though Ken held him up. His back was pressed lightly into the edge of the table. Ken wrapped an arm around Omi's waist and held their bodies together. 

"Mm…mm… Ken…kun……" Omi murmured softly, his arms snaking up around Ken's neck.

"Hai, 'mi?" Ken's mouth left Omi's as he started trailing kisses over the younger's chin. 

Omi forgot whatever he had meant to say in favor of a soft moan. Ken's fingers had tangled themselves in his hair, Ken's lips were teasing his neck, and that arm kept a firm grip around his waist. He moved a hand down, running his palm and fingers over Ken's chest, his breathing becoming somewhat shallow. 

Ken mumbled something against Omi's neck. He leaned forward, bending Omi back over the table, so that Omi needed to place a hand back to steady himself. He clutched tightly onto Ken's shirt to balance himself, all the while, making soft strangled gasps and moans as Ken found a sensitive area on his neck.****

"Ken-kun…" Omi whispered breathily, eyes half-lidded. "K-ken-kun…"

Ken slid his fingers lower and slipped them under Omi's shirt. Omi gasped again as they grazed over his stomach, his head tilting backwards as he wrapped both arms around Ken to hold him close.

Ken reveled in Omi's taste… Omi's scent… the feel of Omi against him… the sounds that fell from Omi's parted lips. He felt intoxicated with the sensation of everything combined. The boy was so responsive, writhing and making tiny mewls of pleasure as Ken explored his body with his hands. Omi's fingers twitched against his back, and with an irritated cry, he pulled Ken from suckling on his shoulder and tugged him closer for a fervent kiss.

Ken obeyed without hesitation, returning the kisses just as avidly. Omi's hands were exploring his back, one slipped under his shirt. Ken groaned softly. He gently bit Omi's lip, and when the boy moaned, he took the opportunity to delve into that mouth. 

Omi's mind was in a whirl. He felt he couldn't get enough, though it felt like something was wrong, terribly wrong. At the same time, it was right. He was confused, and overwhelmed, his thoughts giving way to the pleasure Ken was giving him. 

But no! He tried to focus, even as Ken slid his hand back down Omi's stomach, tracing the waistband of his shorts. He was breathless, their tongues mingling together, making it harder for him to think. 

And when Ken succeeded in opening the top of his shorts… when he began to slip his hand inside… Something snapped. Omi's eyes flew open. Everything flooded back to him, and he was suddenly very aware of what was happening. 

_Oh my _god_._

_Ohgodohgodohgodwhatshedoingwhatare_we_doingthisistoomuchtoofasttoomuchtoo_much_itswrongitswrongitswrong!!_

Eyes shutting tight again, Omi reached for Ken's shoulders. He shoved the older boy off with all his strength. Ken stumbled backward, crashing into the other table, knocking over a bottle. Its contents spilled behind him, filling the area with its distinct aroma. Some of it seeped into his shirt. Ken felt dizzy from the strong sweet smell of it. 

Omi straightened, trying to catch his breath. His face was still flushed, his hand clutching his chest. He could still feel Ken's warmth, even his weight on his own body. Ken's hands still wandering over his skin…

He shook his head, horrified and angry at what might have happened if he hadn't stopped it.

"Bastard," he hissed. "H-how… how dare you!" 

"O-omi…?"

"I get it, now, Ken-kun! This fake thing isn't even love! Hah! You aren't in love with me Ken-kun, you're _lusting _after me!"

Ken wiped his lip, ignoring the stinging in his chest. "That's _not_ true."

"Damnit, Ken-kun!! You almost… You almost-!!"

"Omi, I would never have… Not unless you… I mean, if you'd just said 'stop' once…"

Omi blinked a bit, suddenly feeling a bit dizzy. He shut his eyes and shook his head to clear it out. "I-I can't believe you!!"

The room was blurring. Ken groaned softly and put a hand to his forehead. "Omi…" he managed. "You know I… I'm sorry. It's just… I… I don't know what came over me."

Omi paused, angry eyes softening into concern. "I'm… I'm sorry too… I… I guess… I… I can't really blame you, right? This… this whole…" he held his head. "And everything! And…" 

Ken found himself squinting. The room was spinning, waving back and forth. _Someone… stop the world… I wanna get back on. _

"Gods Ken-kun, this is wearing me out. I want…" 

Omi was still talking. Or yelling. Or something. He couldn't tell anymore. He could barely even understand what Omi was saying, if he was even saying anything. He glanced ahead of him, idly remembering what he had just done. And almost done.

"Just don't come near me again! Not until we sort this all out!! Who knows how far you'll go next time…"

Don't go near him? But Omi had tasted good. And also felt so good against him. Ken giggled softly, then tried to stop. He shouldn't giggle. Omi was mad at him. But he couldn't help it. His mind felt very, very clear, yet clouded at the same time.

"Please, Ken-kun!" Omi staggered a little, but he continued anyway, determined to make Ken understand. "This is bad for both of us! It's not right!!"

_Strawberries. Omi smelled like strawberries._ Ken smiled at the thought. Omi and strawberries. They seemed to match so much. And chocolate. Yeah. That would be really nice. So nice that Ken's smile turned goofy and Omi paused in his scolding.

"…… You're…" Omi blinked to get the words out right, even though his thoughts felt like they were in a tangle. "You're not listening to me, are you?"

Ken just giggled. "Omi tastes good with strawberries."

"……" Omi twitched, and surprised himself with a giggle. _Strawberries? Ken-kun and me and strawberries. Oooh…… No! Wait!!_ He swallowed and shut his eyes. _Bad thoughts. Bad thoughts. Bad thoughts… _

Ken tried to stand up, but staggered a little. Another giggle escaped his lips. "Oohh. Yeaaahh… Chocolate covered Omi with strawberries."

"mm… Choco-… NO!!" Omi twitched again. "Ken-kun!! S-stop it about the strawberries!!"

"But they taste good!"

"No they don't! … Well they do… but… no! Ken-kun! That's not the point!"

"Think about it…" Ken murmured in a singsong voice, "Cho~cola~te and straw~berri~es… Nee~e Omi~ttchi?"

Omi gave him a goofy grin then scowled. "NO! No more chocolate and strawberries!"

"No?" Ken sniffled. "What about milk?"

"Milk. Milk is good. No… Cream! Cream and strawberries…"

"Cream? Oooh! Whipped cream, too?"

"That works too… Whipped cream…" 

"But what about the chocolate?"

"But strawberries are good with whipped cream _and_ chocol-…WAIT!!" Omi clutched his head. "Waaahh! Ken-kun!! Stop confusing me!!"

"What's this? What's this?"

The younger boy looked up to find Yohji coming down the stairs. He had one eyebrow raised as he surveyed the broken glassware. 

"Yohji-kun? I thought you were with Aya-kun. You know…" he idly spun his finger around. "Down here, over there, other side, upstairs, around and around…" Omi suddenly giggled then stopped himself with a shake of his head.

"Arou~und… ro~und… heehee!" came Ken in an echo.

Yohji's eyebrow raised further. "I thought he came down here. Apparently, he didn't."

They were interrupted by yet another giggle. "Why you lookin for Aya? Don't think Aya would taste as good as Omi."

Yohji almost dropped what he was carrying. Omi giggled too, "Mmhm! Aya-kun's sooooo icy. I'm sure Ken-kun tastes better, too…" he stopped himself and groaned. "Yohji-kun… Help…"

"What…" Yohji glanced around, took note of the near empty tables, then the two boys' disheveled hair and clothing. "…the hell's going on?"

"Um." Omi looked at him weakly. "I don't know actually? My brain's not working right?"

Yohji carefully examined him. "Well, you look to be okay." 

"I feel fine, Yohji-kun. Just something wrong with my head."

He approached the giggling brunette and tried to look him over. Ken inched away, whining. "Nooooo! Omi smells nicer than Yohji~~!"

"Riiiiight, Ken-ken." Yohji sniffed the air about them. "What's that?"

"Huh? It's Ken-kun, what's it look like?" 

Yohji realized he was getting nowhere. "I meant the smell, Omi. There's a smell around here."

"Ah?" Omi came closer, clutching a table to make sure he wouldn't stumble, and sniffed too. His eyes widened and he took an empty bottle. "Ah!! The ether!! Ken-kun knocked over the ether!!"

"What does it do?"

"Well, we use it in Biology to knock out the frogs for dissection. You should see them…" Omi snickered to himself. "They're really fun to watch when they struggle to get out of their bottles and then they suddenly plop over unconscious… That's when we can cut them open."

Yohji stared at him.

"Well we do! And the fumes usually make the rest of us giddy. I think Kira-chan was hugging Ka-chan's bottle and crying her apologies before she opened it."

"…… Who's Ka-chan?"

Omi stared at him as if it were obvious, "Her froggie of course!"

Ken sniffed. "Ka-chan… Poor, poor Ka-chan."

"…" Yohji ignored Ken and stared at Omi. "…She named her frog."

"Uh huh! Uh huh! We all did! My froggie was named after Ken-kun, cause he was cute. And I cut him up. His lungs poofed. It was cute." Omi giggled, before stopping himself and whining. "Yooh~ji-kuu~un! My head is dizzy~! I think it's the ether! Make it sto~p!"

"Great, so you two are high?"

"Some…thing like that? It's like… uhhmm… Like my brain's not working right because I need to feed it. I think Ken-kun's worse though. I can still think straight… I think."

"… If that's you thinking straight, I feel really sorry for Ken."

Omi huffed. "Well, it wasn't my fault, Yohji-kun!"

Yohji sighed and glanced at the other occupant of the room. "C'mon, Ken. Let's get you upstairs before you start dancing on those broken bottles."

Ken blinked. "Dancing? I'm not good at dancing," he protested. 

Yohji shushed him and hauled him up the stairs. "I'll take care of him, kay, Omittchi? You get some fresh air."

"Okay?" Omi sighed, glaring at all the broken glass on the floor. With a small grumble, Omi retrieved the dustpan and broom, and set work to clean the rest of the equipment and the glassware. Of course, it wasn't _his _fault there was a table in the way.

[crash!]

"… owwi~iie…"

-----*-----

Ken fidgeted as Yohji led him upstairs. Dancing? Why did Yohji talk to him about that? He was happy being with Omi and the strawberries. And chocolate. Never forget the chocolate. It was wrong to have Omi and strawberries without chocolate. Oh and the whipped cream. That was Omi's idea and Ken liked it. 

But then Yohji took him away and started talking about dancing.

Well, at least he could still remember his dancing class in high school. Not because he was good at it, but mainly because it was so traumatizing. Sure, they said he was graceful on the grass fields, but never on the dance floor. Ken shuddered. He wasn't into dancing. Was Yohji asking him to dance?

Yohji brought Ken to the kitchen while the latter whined again, "I'm not good at dancing." 

"Then just sit there and wait, ok?" Yohji lowered Ken onto a chair, patting his head. 

_Then just sit there and wait, ok? _Ken remembered his sensei saying exactly that. They were all made to sit down and watch as a couple of seniors stepped on the dance floor to demonstrate. They had to watch very carefully so that they could identify the dance. It was part of the test, after all.

Yohji turned, intent to find something to give Ken to drink. He stopped in his tracks. 

Aya had stepped into the kitchen. 

Yohji ignored Ken's presence, folding his arms at Aya. The redhead pretended not to see Yohji as he stomped his way to the cupboard to grab a mug. Yohji stood right beside him. "We need to talk, Aya."

"I don't see the point of hearing any more of your idiocy," Aya huffed, not looking at Yohji and tried to shove him aside. Yohji stood between Aya and the hot water thermos.

Ken's eyes widened. _It's starting, it's starting!_ The two dancers would position their arms on their partners. Right, he nodded to himself, proper stance. 

Aya raised his free arm to push at Yohji's shoulder. "Out of the way, Kudoh." 

"Don't give me that shit." 

Aya glared up at Yohji. "GET. OUT. OF. MY. WAY."

"Not if you talk to me first." 

He swung his right hand holding the mug at Yohji. Yohji blocked the mug, intertwining his fingers with Aya's, effectively stopping the blow and any successive ones from it.

"I DON'T want to talk to you!" 

Yohji growled and grabbed Aya's waist, bringing him closer. "WELL, I don't fucking care! We need to talk, and I'm not letting you run away." 

Ken leaned forward in anticipation. That was right, he remembered correctly. Clasp your left hand with the girl's, right hand on her waist, her left hand on your shoulder. He gotta remember that, basic position's always important. Now, for the first dance…

Aya peered up at Yohji's challenge. He decided not to have a drink anymore and just get the hell out of there. He shook both hands free and placed the mug on the nearby sink. Then he took a step forward. Yohji placed his foot right in front of Aya's, glaring back at him. Aya took another, and Yohji countered that one too. And another. Aya sidestepped. Yohji did it at the same time. "Don't run away."

Aya hissed at Yohji. 

_WALTZ, _thought Ken reverently. _One, two, three, and sidestep, two, three and sidestep_...

Aya backed a step from Yohji, gritting his teeth. Yohji was taller, he couldn't run past Yohji since the longer legs were to his advantage. Then he walked past Yohji, backhanding him to push aside. Yohji caught the hand again, and pulled Aya back forcefully. Aya stumbled and nearly fell into Yohji's arms, but Yohji managed to hold him at length, clasping both Aya's hands in his. "You're not getting away that easily, Fujimiya."

Aya looked up, still glaring. "Try me."

Ken grinned, oh, that one was hard, but he knew what that was! It was… it was… Let's see, Back, two, three, four, with your arms out in front instead of on your partner… S…Ken bit his lip, was it? 

_SWING!_ Ken bounced in his seat happily. Sensei would be proud if he passed the test with high scores. That means he can get exempted from the final exam, and he could just go out and play soccer!

Yohji gripped Aya tightly. "Is that what it's all gonna be about? I'm tired of just trying to catch you, even though I'm not ever giving up. But I think you're just playing the coward."

Aya's face contorted in anger. "I am NOT a coward."

Yohji drew Aya closer to him, staring right down his face. "I'd know a coward when I see one." 

Aya sneered, "You don't know anything."

It was Yohji's turn to snarl, "And who are you think you can say that? The last time _I _checked, I'm the one who knew who I was really in love with!"

Aya scoffed, "Oh, incredible. You actually believe the lies you say."

Yohji eyes slitted, and his entire posture tightened into anger. "Take that BACK, Fujimiya." His grip tightened on Aya's painfully, but Aya merely stared back defiantly.

Ken took a deep breath. The third one today seems to be one of those complicated ones, you know? Sensei always saved one of the hardest ones for last, and even if he was good and did his homework and studied before class, he might not be able to guess THIS one. Ken whimpered at the thought of not being able to play sooner.

Aya hadn't answered Yohji. His wrists were close to bruising, but his pride kept him from reacting.

"I _said_, TAKE IT BACK!" Yohji advanced forward, feet coming down heavily on the wood floor. Aya quickly cross-stepped backwards in time to keep from falling, stealing a couple of glances behind him to make sure Yohji wasn't going to slam him against anything. Then he darted a couple of steps backward himself, trying to free his wrists, but Yohji held fast, and kept up with him.

_Eight cross-steps backwards, the last four done really fast, that if you snapped your fingers in time, you'll be surprised. _Ken tried to remember _REAAALLY_ hard then. Some dances were weird, not always the same steps, you know? _It's not really a strict formula for some dances, you may follow the steps more or less, the rest of the beauty of it lies in the way you can improvise new steps that blend in while keeping to the beat or pattern, _his sensei explained. 

Ken frowned then, wondering what sensei meant. Why was he using such big words? It was really hurting his head, but he wanted to seeeee.

Aya pulled insistently on his wrists. He changed and sidetepped in another direction to try getting Yohji's grip off, but Yohji kept up, clenching his teeth. 

The name of the dance was at the tip of Ken's tongue. He half wondered that, if he stuck his tongue out at a mirror, would he be able to find the word there? No, he shook his head, that would be cheating. He was a good boy, after all, and he never cheated in a test or a game. 

He tried to think again, but it was getting harder. All he wanted to do was watch them do the pretty moves like in a cool fairy tale or movie.

_On the count of eight (or was it six?)_, _cross-steps that go sideways or backward, always looking at the direction that you're going. Same steps as a rhumba, except that in this you held the other in close contact. _

"It's a……… a.… t… ta……" Ken muttered to himself.

Aya was being backed into the kitchen table. He twisted an arm to force Yohji to let go of it, then swiped at a slim table knife and aimed it straight at Yohji's face. Yohji snapped his head up and caught it between his teeth, seconds from getting it stuck in his throat. Another snap of his head and the knife got imbedded in the nearby wall.

Ken's eyes widened even further. That's right! He had seen this in a movie before, like one of those old foreign spy films! It had been so cool when one of the dancers had grabbed a single rose from a vase, and while dancing, managed to pass it to the partner without breaking a beat, then discard it. The dancers knew each other so well that showing off was easily arranged at a moment's notice. What was that phrase… Ken thought dreamily, 'it takes two to........?'

"Bastard." Aya breathed, and swung his fist at Yohji.

"...TANGO." Ken finished, his whole world suddenly getting brighter. 

Yohji ducked to the side and the punch was rendered useless. Aya lost his balance and pitched forward. Yohji grabbed under his arms, hooked a leg on one of Aya's and stepped backwards. Aya tried to get up, but with his weight supported by Yohji under his armpits, one leg over Yohji's hip, his free foot dragged on the floor uselessly.

Ken cocked his head to the side thoughtfully, mind now positively floating in candy-cane clouds and taped violin music. Too bad that they were in a bare dance floor instead of an actual formal party. It would be real pretty, he thought, if one of the dancers had been a girl and in a long ballroom dress. She'd hitch a leg over her partner's, arms flung over his shoulders, and long skirt spread out on the sparkling marble floor after her, one foot trailing daintily. But it was... What was that word? 

Adolescent Ken remembered how they used to describe their idols. Sexy.

Yohji backed into a wall and stopped. Aya used the pause to regain his footing, trying to squirm out of Yohji's hold. Yohji stilled him with a shout. "Listen to me!"

"NO!" Aya growled back. He had to get away, now. He didn't want to hear something that he might want to believe.

Yohji took one step forward and, with the same foot, swept Aya off his own feet. Aya immediately fell backwards, throwing out his arms to brace his landing, but Yohji deftly caught one of his limbs and had one arm snaked around his waist. Aya's head stopped one inch above the floor, hair trailing down. He looked up and locked eyes with Yohji. Yohji held him steady. "It's YOU that I l--"

"SUGOI!!!", Ken had jumped to his feet in utter amazement and was clapping loudly. It had been so cool, ending the dance on the perfect note with a graceful dip. It had been perfect! Awesome! 

"Encore!! Bravo!! ENCORE!!!" Ken jumped eagerly up and down, cheering. Now, he wanted to learn how to dance, really, he did! It would be so nice to be able to do that. Maybe he can ask Omi later too!

Yohji and Aya both froze in shock at the sound, and only realized at that instant that Ken had been there. Aya kneed Yohji in the gut, making him let go, and fell that last inch to the floor. Yohji tried to grab for him again, but this time, Aya rolled and was on his feet before Yohji could recover. 

Ken was so happy. He was gonna study in dance class, he was sure! He wanted to dance! And he can teach Omi, and they can both dance! Then he stopped as he noticed that Aya was missing. "Ara? Yohji, where did he go?"

Yohji just stood there, one hand over his stomach as they heard the loud audible sound of the front door banging close.

Ken frowned and whined, "Where did he go? It was so nice."

Yohji looked at him, sadly, all the anger and determination drained out of him. "What was so nice about that, Kenken?"

Ken looked back at him, devastated. "You were _dancing_, Yotan, didn't you know that?"

"Aaa. Were we?" Yohji stared at the direction where Aya had gone. He looked back at Ken, and frowned as he saw that the man hadn't quite recovered yet.

"C'mon, Ken-ken. Let's go outside."

-----*-----

"Yo~hji?"

"Yes, Ken-ken?"

"What's that sound?"

"Hm? Oh. Maybe it's your imagination, Ken-ken. I think the ether is still wearing off."

"Really? But I can _hear_ it. It's like a banging sound… Or something."

"Just don't think about it. It'll make your head hurt more."

"Oh. Okay."

Yohji smirked and continued what he was working on. Well, true, Ken needed the fresh air, but he also had something he needed to do out here. 

At least, Ken was somewhat recovering. Getting him to change his shirt helped, now that there wasn't the smell of ether lingering about. It had taken till after his so-called 'talk' with Aya to realize that Ken's clothes had absorbed the stuff.

Yohji looked down to check if Ken had run off to chase butterflies. Of course, there were no actual butterflies; they were in the alley behind Koneko, right behind the kitchen. Still, in the state Ken was in, he might be imagining the pretty butterflies.

Instead, he realized that Ken was staring off, but the expression on his face told Yohji that he was half-sane again. Then again, he WAS done with what needed repairing, so maybe talking to Ken will be alright now.

He put away his tools and joined Ken, "You want a drink? You might feel a little parched since you've been staring open-mouthed at the same patch of peeling paint for the last hour."

"Huh? Oh? I was? I thought I was watching a movie… or something."

"Ken, it was peeling paint."

"Oh." Ken stared blankly at the wall in front him.

Well, at least he wasn't chasing butterflies. "Anyway, whatever it was that you found interesting, can we leave it now? Do you want some water?"

"O-okay."

The trek back into the kitchen was quiet, and Ken did seem to be back to his senses. By the time they were back inside, Yohji had handed Ken his glass of water, and Ken had downed it, the brunette seemed perfectly normal. Or at least as normal as they could be.

The two of them lounged around the kitchen counter, each lost in their thoughts.

"So, Ken-ken," Yohji finally broke the silence. "Just what were you and Omi doing downstairs, other than getting yourselves high on those chemicals? I mean, you two looked like you got into some kind of tussle."

The other didn't respond, though his face said a lot. Yohji noticed guilt, shame, and embarrassment. 

"Did you kiss him _again_?"

"… No! …… at least… I didn't… _just…_ kiss him."

"…You molested him."

"I-I didn't think that-…!! I mean… I wanted him to feel better and… That… that doesn't sound right, does it?"

"Not at all."

"Didn't think so." Ken laughed weakly, "I might as well have a sign strapped to my back that said 'I'm ruled by my groin and I molested my best friend! Hit me!'"

"I would if I could, but I might end up being a hypocrite."

Ken only turned redder, hiding behind his glass. Not that it helped much. Yohji poured himself another glass of water, and Ken declined when he offered. He watched his ice swirl around as he thought, then glanced up at the other.

"Hey, Ken. I was wondering."

"Yeah?"

"How'd you feel about Aya last week? You know, right after that night at the hotel? When we got into this whole thing in the first place?"

"Aya?" Ken looked confused. They had been talking about Omi, and now the topic was Aya?

"Yeah. Did you still like him, too?"

"… No. I guess I was too caught up going after Omi, that I didn't realize that I'd forgotten about Aya."

Yohji blinked, and scratched his chin, "Really… You mean, you didn't go think of both of them? Not a thought about Aya. Just Omi?"

"… yeah. Pretty much. Why?"

"Ken. To me it got so bad, I bashed my head against the wall, because I didn't know if it was Aya or Omi I liked. Now, I know of course. But the point is…"

Ken stared at the floor. "It… it was different."

Yohji nodded. "Can't argue with you there. Did liking Omi seem wrong at all?"

"… No."

"Not even after the first week?"

"…… No. Not at all," Ken shook his head. "That's… I guess that's why I thought it was real. It felt… it felt so right. Like it was the most… right thing I've done. I still can't believe that it's not…"

"… What about Aya?"

"Aya? Before everything?" When Yohji nodded, Ken shrugged. "Well, Aya… I was excited about possibly getting him to go out with me, or something like that."

"Did it feel right?"

He paused, considering his reply. "… You know, I didn't think of it before. Never hit me."

"…… It's not as right as Omi now."

"… I guess not."

"And it really feels right? Just… 'right' and you didn't even have to think about it?"

"… I think so. But that's the fake thing talking, isn't it?"

"…Ken… How did you feel about him before all this?"

"Huh?"

"How did you feel about Omi before that night at the hotel?"

"He's… my friend."

"Uh huh, tell me something I don't know.

Ken seemed to be stumped on what to say, so Yohji gave him a hand. "How'd you feel when he was around?"

"Huh? Oh… Well… The place brightened a lot. Always did. It's like when he comes into a room, you can feel the difference. Everything's brighter, like he was the on-switch for all the lights." Ken chuckled. "Must be his attitude. He's always so cheery." 

"Really?" Yohji blinked. 

"Yeah." Ken laughed a little. "It's always great to be with Omi. He's fun and smart. He's outgoing, friendly… he's just _fun_. And he makes you feel good. Just seeing him smile is enough to make a guy melt into submission."

Yohji nodded in agreement, slowly filing this into his thoughts. "Omi does have that effect, but I think you get hit by them so much more."

"Feh," Ken chuckled again. "I guess we're that close, aren't we?"

"… Or closer than you think."

"Hm?" the brunette looked up, but Yohji waved it off. Ken sighed, laying his head in his arms. "You know, this whole thing reminds me of that time once, when I asked you guys... Nee, koneko-tachi, have you ever fallen in love?"

"Mm. I remember you talking about that. More than a year ago, I think, before Aya joined. You asked that then out of the blue. What about it?"

"Hmmm? Oh, I was wondering how it would be like. I even wondered if I already was. Well, I had you guys as my best friends then…"

"……Then Aya showed up?"

"Yeah. That was pretty much it. He was too interesting to not notice. But even then, I didn't really think about it much. He was nice to look at, but I didn't think there was much point to act on that. It was only a couple of months ago when it really hit me that I probably wasn't going to live for much longer. So I might as well ask him out or something while I still had the chance."

"I see. Then, what was your first thought when you decided to go after Aya?"

"I hoped Omi would understand and back me up."

"What would happen if Omi didn't approve?"

"I would've backed off. Just because I decided to get a crush on Aya, I don't want Omi to be mad at me over it."

"Why would you do that?"

"Well, he _is _my best friend… "

"But best friends don't have control over who you may or may not like, right?"

"His opinion still matters a lot to me! I've known him for longer! It just doesn't feel right for me to, if he wouldn't want me to. I guess he means that much to me."

Yohji smirked. The wheels in Yohji's head were turning. _Oh… my… god. Ken… You're a fucking imbecile._

"You know… it seems… I was right."

"Right about what?"

"The opposite of what you said. You were too caught up going after Aya, that you didn't realize you'd forgotten about what was right there in front of you."

"Huh?" Ken looked bewildered. "Yohji, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Or maybe… It must have happened so slowly. That's why you never realized. You never needed to."

Ken continued to look clueless, "Wha…" His eyes narrowed into a glare. "Yohji, are you suggesting I'm an idiot?"

"Well, not exactly, Ken-ken."

"I don't know what makes _you_ so smart. Who do you _really_ like anyway? Aya or Omi?"

"I thought it was obvious and in fact you don't need to be smart to figure out that."

"But, Jesus!! You're always on Omi's side, defending him and taking care of him, and stuff. I thought you'd laid your claim on Aya!! Unless the previous potion isn't entirely gone, and you still like him."

Yohji waved his hand. "All right. So I do love Omi."

Ken, at first, looked shocked. Then the shock faded into anger. Yohji held up a hand. 

"Before you strangle me, there're different types of love, and I love Omi like the little brother I never had, just like the way you _say_ you love him. Even though Omi's very capable of taking care of himself, and he's proven that countless times, you just can't help but do everything in your power to protect him. Tell me, am I right or wrong?"

Ken calmed down considerably, slumping back in his chair. "So if that's Omi…" he raised an eyebrow at his elder. "What about Aya?

"Aya? Aya is a different story. I don't know. I like Aya. I daresay I might even love him." Yohji paused, and shook his head to correct himself. "No… I _do_ love him." 

"How can you be so sure of that?

"Because… Because of a lot of things. Do you really want me to list them all?"

Ken raised an eyebrow. "Shoot."

Yohji shrugged. "He's my best friend." He smiled sadly. "I have a bad history of falling for my best friends, did you know that?"

Ken's face fell a little and he shook his head. Yohji continued. "Well, I thought this time… Even if I risk losing that friendship, I wanted to at least tell him before I lose him. I mean, I know it would somehow suck. This is my best FRIEND. It's unfair that of all people…"

"Yohji…"

"But… it's perfect too, because… THIS is the person with whom it's all right to spend whole evenings with, just hanging out. You don't feel awkward. You don't lose composure. You don't do anything stupid, because you don't do that with someone who's your friend.

"It's alright to spend the rest of your life with someone who knows what you really are, and what you're really like, and not the mask you show other people. And… and after losing… Asuka…" Yohji winced to himself. "This time around, I decided to take the chance. I never told her, and that is one regret I don't want to repeat."

He stopped there, falling silent for a moment. He glanced at Ken. 

"So I can say I love Aya. As a best friend and something that's a lot more." 

Ken looked down, thinking over what Yohji had just said. He began to regret a lot of things he had done and said to the older man. But before he could even start with his apologies, Yohji chuckled to himself and smirked. "By the way, Ken… He smiled cryptically, "Don't you think my situation sounds a little familiar?"

Ken snapped out of his thoughts. "Eh? Familiar about what? Yohji, what the hell are you talking about?"

Neither said anything more, for there was the sound of a door slamming. It didn't take a genius to figure out who had come back. Yohji was well aware who it was, though Ken might not remember. He shook his head and turned back to Ken.

"Ken-ken," Yohji patted him on the head. "You wouldn't know love if it was a 4-ton bullet train that hit you."

Ken's retort caught in his mouth. He stared after Yohji in alarm but before he could say anything, Yohji had already disappeared up the stairs.

"That's…… what Aya said…"

-----*-----

Yohji ascended the stairs, his face sporting a smirk. Ken wasn't an idiot, true. He was just a little slow in some aspects, but he wasn't stupid. In fact, Yohji had started to think that maybe it was Ken who was the smart one at the moment, instead of Omi. Though the conversation he had just had might have turned the tables on that.

… All right. They were both being imbeciles.

But he had his own issues to deal with. And so here he was, once again in front of this door, but this time he had a trump.

He laughed to himself, and knocked on the door. 

"C'mon, Aya… Talk to me."

-----*-----

God that was sooo long. I feel like I should've split it, but sempai said it was all interconnected, and I agree, but still @_@ When we started the chapter, it had nothing in it. We decided to turn it into a transition point, so good god in heaven, this was so friggin long.

*cackles* Prepare for humor, angst, sap, and another 4-ton bullet train.

Comment: Sorry if you thought Omi would come up with a cure. But I'm being realistic here. After all, he may be smart, but he's still just a high school student.****

omiclones@hotmail.com


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